Salmonella mbandaka isolated in Italy. 1979-1986.
A total of 350 strains of Salmonella mbandaka were isolated in Italy during the period 1979 to 1986. S. mbandaka was a rare serotype in Italy. It was first isolated from water in 1979. Since that year the number of isolates has increased: 1980 (3), 1981 (21), 1982 (21), 1983 (24), 1984 (54), 1985 (108), 1986 (118). 67.1% of the strains were isolated from humans, 14.6% from food, 15.1% from water and 2.9% from animals. Frozen eggs and egg-based products were the most frequently contaminated foods. Of the forty-six strains tested for drug resistance, two were multiresistant to gentamicin, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin and to chloramphenicol, kanamycin, tetracycline and tobramycin, respectively.