ALERT: Salmonella Outbreak Spreads Across 42 States

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to search for the source of a Salmonella outbreak, which began in September and has affected 388 people across 42 states sick, sending about 70 to the hospital. Ohio health officials say that 51 people have become ill since mid-October; 12 of them had to be hospitalized. California is also reporting 51 cases and Michigan had 20 cases, with 7 people being hospitalized. “It is often difficult to identify sources of foodborne outbreaks. People may not remember the foods they recently ate and may not be aware of all of the ingredients in food,” said CDC spokesman David Daigle. “That’s what makes these types of investigations very difficult.”
 

This particular strain, known as Salmonella typhimurium, is commonly associated with poultry, produce, meat and meat products, cheese, eggs and unpasteurized milk. Daigle warns that, “because foods of animal origin may be contaminated with Salmonella, people should not eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat. Persons also should not consume raw or unpasteurized milk or other dairy products. Produce should be thoroughly washed.”

Salmonella hit the U.S. hard last year with the largest outbreak of food poisoning in more than a decade. From April through August, the illness sickened 1,400 people. It was first believed that tomatoes were the source, but later the CDC determined that jalapeno peppers were the real culprit. In March of last year, over 50 cases of Salmonella were linked to tainted cantaloupe, and in April, Malt-O-Meal issued a voluntary recall after a routine test on March 24 discovered Salmonella contamination in their unsweetened Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat cereals.

Salmonella poisoning typically causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours after exposure. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, for some the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized. In severe cases, the infection spreads from the intestines to the blood stream and other parts of the body. In these cases the individual is at risk for death unless antibiotics are promptly given. Infants, the elderly, and people with impaired immune systems are most likely to have severe reactions to Salmonella infections.
 

According to the CDC, approximately 40,000 Americans are reported ill with Salmonella, but many more cases are never reported. Considering those statistics, we can consider this outbreak just the tip of the iceberg.