Salmonella enterica is a species of Salmonella bacterium. S. enterica has a number of varieties or serovars. Serovar Typhi (sometimes elevated to species status as S. typhi) is the disease agent in typhoid. Other serovars such as Typhimurium (also known as S. typhimurium) can lead to a form of human gastroenteritis sometimes referred to as salmonellosis.

Most cases of salmonellosis are caused by food infected with S. enterica, which often infects cattle, though also other animals such as domestic cats. However, investigations of vacuum cleaner bags have shown that households can act as a reservoir of the bacterium; this is more likely if the household has contact with an infection source, for example through members working with cattle or in a veterinary clinic.

The genome sequences of serovars Typhi and Typhimurium LT2 have been established.

S. typhi

S. typhi is a serovar of Salmonella. It causes the disease typhoid fever. The organism can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route -- it is excreted by humans in feces and may be transmitted by contaminated water, food, or by person to person contact (with inadequate attention to personal hygiene).

External links

• notes on Salmonella nomenclature (http://www.bacterio.cict.fr/salmonellanom.html)