Food poisonings due to Salmonella spp are usually sporadic
and, in a great majority of cases, there is no identifiable link to
other cases.6 Themodeof transmissionalsomaynot be evident
in many situations.7 In a study, conducted in New Zealand
between 2000 and 2009, 204 outbreaks of non-typhoidal
salmonellosis were analyzed. The results showed that nontyphoidal
salmonellosis was primarily a food borne disease in
New Zealand, but there was insufficient evidence to confirm
important food vehicle. Evidence for the mode of transmission
was weak or absent for 107 (63%) of the 169 outbreaks for which
a mode of transmission was reported.8 Unusual sources like
peanut butter and watermelon have also been associated with
non-typhoidal salmonellosis.9,10 Pet rodents, probably, are an
under-recognized source of human Salmonella infection.