NARMS: 2019 report
Salmonella and Campylobacter are the leading bacterial causes of foodborne illness in the United States, and are the main pathogens tracked by NARMS*. Campylobacter and nontyphoidal serotypes of Salmonella enterica (henceforth referred to as Salmonella) can be present in the intestinal tracts of a wide range of animals including wildlife, livestock, and domestic pets. Salmonella and Campylobacter exposure in humans occurs primarily through the consumption of contaminated foods. In the United States each year, Salmonella is estimated to cause over 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths, while Campylobacter is estimated to cause over 1.5 million illnesses, 19,500 hospitalizations, and 240 deaths.
Salmonella: The majority (78%) of Salmonella from humans were not resistant to any of the antimicrobials tested under NARMS. In humans, the overall level of resistance remains relatively unchanged from 2018, and is in line with other data from 2006-2017, where 76-85% of Salmonella tested were susceptible to all antimicrobials. However, important resistance threats to human and animal health remain. MDR in Salmonella isolates recovered from chicken product samples between 2018 to 2019 showed an increase from 22% to 29% while isolates from retail chicken increased from 20% to 32%. These increases were largely driven by the rise in MDR Salmonella Infantis isolates. In turkey product and retail turkey samples MDR Salmonella continued to decline between 2018 (25%) and 2019 (17% and 21%). However, MDR increased from 23% to 31% in Salmonella isolates from turkey cecal contents. The majority of MDR Salmonella isolates from turkey samples were serotypes Reading, Infantis, and Typhimurium.
NARMS data also show rising fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter isolates.
*the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring Systems
