Division of Enteric Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, National Research Institute of Health, Cheongju, Korea
Corresponding to Deog-Yong Lee, E-mail: leedy0610@korea.kr
Ann Clin Microbiol 2016;19(1):24-27. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2016.19.1.24
Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.
Salmonellosis is a common food- and water-borne disease and is also a major zoonosis. Currently, the isolation of rare Salmonella serotypes is increasing every year in Korea. Among them, the Salmonella serotype Tilene was first isolated from two people who visited a hospital located in Andong-si in 2013. Clinical symptoms were weak or non-existent. There was no clear epidemiological connection between the two cases. However, it was assumed that both were independently exposed to a single infectious agent. Perhaps due to their geographical proximity, molecular epidemiological analysis showed the same result between the isolated strains. This serotype has increasingly reported an association with hedgehogs. Recently, the importation of exotic animals, including hedgehogs, as pets has been gradually increasing. Thus, it is recommended that high-risk groups avoid contact with exotic pets. (Ann Clin Microbiol 2016;19: 24-27)
Exotic animals, Rare serotypes, Salmonella Tilene, Zoonosis