[Atypical course of human salmonellosis (author's transl)].

During the last few years atypical forms of human salmonellosis were observed in 27 patients. Most frequent were acute gastroenteritis with bacteraemia or septicaemia, abscess formations in various organs and septic infections with gastroenteritis Salmonellae but no demonstrable gastroenteritis. In addition there were cases of osteomyelitis, peritonitis, one case of infected hip replacement, one of infected adrenal cortical tumour, and one of infected aortic aneurysm. In 24 of the 27 patients there was an underlying disease likely to have favoured the development of such infections. Diabetes mellitus, cholelithiasis and malignant tumours were the most frequent condition. Isolation of the positive organism was obtained from various materials (blood, abscess pus, gallbladder smear, operative specimen). Chemotherapy is definitely indicated in such Salmonella infections. Often additional surgical measures, e.g. to control spread of septic foci, were necessary. Prophylactic chemotherapy is recommended for patients with risk factors in order to prevent bacteraemic-metastatic events.