Antibiotic resistance in Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium.

In order to analyse the development of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella spp., a total of 262 Salmonella strains isolated in 1987 (n = 148) and in 1996 (n = 114) from clinical specimens in Wurzburg, Germany, were tested in parallel by the agar diffusion method. In 1987. most of the strains were Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium (42.6%), whereas in 1996 most were Salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis (68.4%). The majority of Salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis isolates was fully susceptible in 1987 and 1996. In contrast, the percentage of drug-resistant strains of Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium increased significantly from 27% in 1987 to 52.4% in 1996. This increase, which might reflect uncontrolled use of antibiotics in the environment, should be of concern to public health authorities.