Invasive salmonellosis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Invasive salmonellosis comprise deep-seated infections with Salmonella Typhi as well as with the Non- Typhoidal Salmonella – they are an important cause of bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa with a high case fatality (up to 25% for NTS bloodstream infections in children) and becoming increasingly resistant to multiple antibiotics. Although recognized as a public health problem, their exact incidence and distribution of serotypes (required to develop and implement vaccines) in not known and the reservoir and transmission of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella is not understood. Further, there are the issues of rising antibiotic resistance among Salmonella requiring surveillance and updating of treatment guidelines. Finally, molecular typing will shed light on knowledge about invasiveness and insight in spread of invasive salmonellosis in sub-Saharan Africa. The present PhD proposal will be carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is among the countries most seriously hit countries by invasive salmonellosis. Embedded into the on-going and planned activities of the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), the PhD will address the following outstanding questions of invasive salmonellosis in DRC: 1. Microbiological and epidemiological profile of invasive salmonellosis in DRC: update about incidence, serotype distribution, antibiotic resistance and molecular profile of invasive isolates 2. Intestinal carriage of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella: incidence, evolution over time, microbiological profile and association with schistosomiasis.