Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi

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Prevention

Risk Avoidance

The incidence of enteric fever is most strongly correlated with poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water. This is because Salmonella Paratyphi is transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or water. Therefore, in order to decrease the incidence of this disease, it is important to avoid the consumption of contaminated food or water, provide education about food and water safety, and promote basic sanitation. [1] [2]

Immunization

There are currently no vaccines clinically used to defend against Salmonella Paratyphi [2]. Recent studies have indicated that this organism displays evidence of being drug resistant. For example, it was discovered that Salmonella Paratyphi has limited sensitivity for ofloxacin, nalidixic acid, and ciprofloxacin. [1] Because of the evidence for drug resistance, Salmonella Paratyphi poses for a potential health risk; therefore, it is thought that developing an effective vaccine should be of importance. There have been studies on the potential use of an oral vaccine that is used to offer protection against typhoid fever in the protection against Salmonella Paratyphi as well. The oral live Salmonella Typhi Ty21a-vaccine has been shown to offer some protection against Salmonella Paratyphi B, slightly less protection against Salmonella Paratyphi A, and no protection against Salmonella Paratyphi C. [2] These varying levels of protection are due to differences in the shared epitopes of each strain. Despite the research that has been done, there are still no vaccines currently being used in a clinical setting.

Host Immune Response

When the body is infected by Salmonella Paratyphi, a humoral immune response is mounted. The response primarily takes place in the intestinal tract, since the gut is the first line of defense against enteric diseases [3]. Based on research performed with the Ty21a-vaccine, after the host was exposed to the oral vaccine, there was a predominance of IgA antibodies. As part of the immune response, it is believed that after the B cells arrive in the intestinal lining, they undergo isotype switching from IgM to IgA. This specific immunoglobulin isotype is produced to stimulate the destruction of Salmonella bacteria. Other research indicates that a cell-mediated response is also activated upon infection. [2]

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Created by {insert your names here}, students of Tyrrell Conway at the University of Oklahoma.

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