Salmonella enterica Serovar Panama, an Understudied Serovar Responsible for Extraintestinal Salmonellosis Worldwide

Abstract : In recent years nontyphoidal Salmonella has emerged as one of the pathogens most frequently isolated from the bloodstream in humans. Only a small group of Salmonella serovars cause this systemic infection, known as invasive nonty-phoidal salmonellosis. Here, we present a focused minireview on Salmonella enterica serovar Panama, a serovar responsible for invasive salmonellosis worldwide. S. Pan-ama has been linked with infection of extraintestinal sites in humans, causing septi-cemia, meningitis, and osteomyelitis. The clinical picture is often complicated by antimicrobial resistance and has been associated with a large repertoire of transmission vehicles, including human feces and breast milk. Nonhuman sources of S. Pan-ama involve reptiles and environmental reservoirs, as well as food animals, such as pigs. The tendency of S. Panama to cause invasive disease may be linked to certain serovar-specific genetic factors.