Detection of Healthy Carriers of Salmonellae and Shigellae

Abstract

A survey was conducted for the detection of healthy carriers of Salmonellae and Shigellae on 147, 107 pupils of primary and junior high schools and 141, 279 food handlers in Tokyo during 1966-1967.
Results obtained are summarized as follows.
1) The isolation rate of Shigellae was 0.04% in either the school pupils or the food handlers in 1966, and 0.02% likewise in 1967.
2) The isolation rate of Salmonellae was 0.14% in the school pupils which was 3 times as much as the rate of 0.05% in food handlers.3) The isolation rate of Salmonellae in the primary and junior high school pupils was five times as high as that of Shigellae.
4) Serotypes of all Salmonellae isolated varied widely. The main patterns of the type distribution were, however, almost similar between the school pupils and food handlers.
5) Incidence of antibiotic resistant strains among isolated Salmonellae was 7.8% in 1966, and 8.0%. in 1967.
6) The survey revealed that about 40% of the Salmonellae carriers had shown something of mild intestinal disorders at the time of investigations.