Emergence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Concord infections in Europe and the United States in children adopted from Ethiopia, 2003–2007

Emergence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Concord infections in Europe and the United States in children adopted from Ethiopia, 2003–2007

Rene S Hendriksen, Matthew Mikoleit, Christian Kornschober, Regan L Rickert, Susan Van Duyne, Charlotte Kjelsø, Henrik Hasman, Martin Cormican, Dik Mevius, John Threlfall, Frederic J Angulo, Frank M Aarestrup · The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal

Researchers combined infection reports from six countries, including England and Wales, with laboratory testing and investigations in Ethiopia. They identified 78 people with Salmonella Concord infection during 2003–2007. Of 44 patients aged three or younger with known adoption status, 98% had been adopted from Ethiopia. Most of the 43 isolates tested for antimicrobial susceptibility were resistant to multiple antibiotics.

Limitations: Selected infection cases, not a representative sample of adopted children. Results are pooled internationally and cannot be treated as England-and-Wales-specific rates. Adoption status and laboratory data were incomplete. This historical investigation does not establish current infection risk. Evidence came from surveillance, laboratory work and adult informants, not adoptees describing their experiences. This was an international public-health and laboratory investigation; the lead affiliation was a WHO collaborating centre at the Technical University of Denmark. The abstract does not establish adoption-agency commissioning.

Research type

Infection surveillance and laboratory study

Source reviewed

Abstract

Peer reviewed

Yes

Age group

Children