Evaluating the relationship between summer season and infant salmonellosis in the United States

Nontyphoidal Salmonella infection, or salmonellosis, typically presents with diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps and affects over 1 million people in the U.S. annually. Infants and young children are most susceptible to Salmonella infection, which can require hospitalization and lead to death. The vast majority of salmonellosis is foodborne and its incidence is highest during hot weather. This study used U.S. age-specific Salmonella surveillance data and geographic-specific temperature data to assess the relationship between summer season and Salmonella infection according to age group and geographic region. The Salmonella infection rate per 100,000 population was highest in infants (111.95), followed by children aged 1-4 (40.66), those aged 5-17 years (12.06), and adults 18 and older (10.84). Compared to winter months (December to February), an excess of approximately 8 infections per 100,000 infants for summer months (June to August) was observed. The corresponding excess was 15 per 100,000 infants for in the South. These findings suggest greater vulnerability among infants to future temperature increases.