Salmonella bongori

Pathogenicity and epidemiology

Main article: Salmonellosis

S. bongori is classically regarded as the Salmonella of lizards. However, discrete investigations contradict the notion of strict host-specificity, as reports emerged of occurrence in dogs and birds. In animals, unlike those of other Salmonella, infection is generally asymptomatic and does not cause discernible effects. However, infection of pet animals is associated with diarrhea.

Further, human infections have been substantiated, with conclusive reports from Italy. The majority of these cases are among children less than 3 years old, who are more prone to oral contact with animal droppings. Symptoms are typified by diarrhoea with fever and acute enteritis. The first observations, from Messina and Palermo, starting from late 1984, were followed by other cities in Sicily.

Origin and evolution

Originally S. bongori was considered to be a subspecies within the genus Salmonella. However, based on DNA similarity, all members of Salmonella are now grouped into only two species, namely S. bongori and S. enterica. These Salmonella-specific functions include many genes for their virulence and characterize the divergence of S. enterica from S. bongori. For instance, the SPI-2 gene which encodes type III secretion systems present in S. enterica is absent in S. bongori. Also, the virulence determinants, specifically effector proteins, are indicated to be more closely related to enteropathogenic E. coli because some of the gene are missing in S. enterica.

References

References

1. Tortora GA. (2008). ["Microbiology: An Introduction]"](https://books.google.com/books?id=TO_vLvPXXeQC&q=salmonella+bongori+lizard&pg=PA323). Pearson.
2. (1969). "10 new ''Salmonella'' serotypes isolated in Chad". Annales de l'Institut Pasteur.
3. (2011). "Evolution of ''Salmonella'' nomenclature: a critical note". Folia Microbiologia.
4. (2009). "''Salmonella bongori'' 48:z35:- in migratory birds, Italy.". Emerging Infectious Diseases.
5. (2002). "Persistent endemicity of ''Salmonella bongori'' 48:z(35):--in Southern Italy: molecular characterization of human, animal, and environmental isolates". Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
6. (1998). "Endemic presence of ''Salmonella bongori'' 48:z35:- causing enteritis in children in Sicily". Research in Microbiology.
7. (1 September 1999). "Outbreak of Salmonella enteritis bongori 48:z35:- in Sicily". Eurosurveillance.
8. (2004). "Pathogenicity islands in bacterial pathogenesis.". Clinical Microbiology Reviews.
9. (2010). "Dynamics of intracellular bacterial replication at the single cell level.". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA.
10. (2011). "''Salmonella bongori'' provides insights into the evolution of the Salmonellae". PLOS Pathogens.