Increasing incidence of non-typhi Salmonella bacteremia among children living in southern Israel

AbstractObjectives: To determine if the epidemiology of Salmonella gastroenteritis and childhood bacteremia among the two ethnic populations (Jews and Bedouins) living in southern Israel has changed in recent years.Methods: Retrospective review of laboratory records and medical charts of patients from whom non-typhi salmonellae were isolated from stool and blood cultures in the 1990–1995 period.Results: The overall incidence of enteric Salmonella infections was 123.5 per 100 000 inhabitants and remained stable during the study period. The incidence of bacteremia among children younger than 4 years increased from 9.3 per 100 000 in the 1990–1992 period to 26.8 per 100 000 in the 1993–1995 period (P