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Table 1 Examples of the RKI-case definition for Salmonellosis in the original 2001 Version and the revised 2004 Version

From: Reliability of case definitions for public health surveillance assessed by Round-Robin test methodology

Version 2001 (reference 14)

Clinical picture:

Clinical picture compatible with salmonellosis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, malaise, vomiting, fever. Salmonella can also cause infections outside the intestinal tract (for example: arthritis, endocarditis, pyelonephritis, septicaemia).

Laboratory diagnosis:

Isolation (culture) of pathogen from stool or other clinical material (e.g. blood, urine). The identification of serogroup has to be attempted.

Version 2004 (reference 13)

Clinical picture

• Clinical picture of acute salmonellosis, defined as at least one of the following four symptoms: diarrhea*

• cramp-like abdominal pain

• vomiting

• fever*

additional information:

Samonella can also cause generalized (septicemia) and localized infections outside the intestinal tract (for example: arthritis, endocarditis, pyelonephritis). These should in case of an acute infection also be reported. The reactive arthritis, which may also be caused by Salmonella infection, is not to be reported.

Laboratory diagnosed

Positive finding using the following method:

• Direct detection of pathogen: isolation of pathogen (culture)

Additional information: Results of identified serogroup and lysotype should also be reported.

Epidemiological confirmation

Epidemiological confirmation, defined as at least one of the following three constellations while taking into account the incubation period (about 6 to 72 hours):

• Epidemiological link to another laboratory-diagnosed human infection through

    Person-to-person transmission OR

    Same source of exposure (e.g. animal contact*, food*)

• Consumption of food (including drinking water), for which Salmonella spp. was laboratory-detected in non-consumed food.

• Contact to animal (e.g. poultry) with a laboratory-detected infection, or contact to its secretions or consumption of its products (e.g. eggs).

* terms marked with an asterix are defined in more detail in a glossary of the case definitions