Case of typhoid fever confirmed at McKinney in August; Second case examined at Frisco

A few hours after Collin County Health Services released a travel-related typhoid fever case on Friday, confirmed in August in McKinney, CIO Frisco announced he was investigating a possible case in a school. primary.

Health officials in Collin County said Friday that people eating at Hat Creek Burger Co., 3321 South Custer Road, between Aug. 19 and Aug. 22, may have come into contact with the drug-resistant strain. XDR salmonella typhi and that they could still develop. symptoms.

Pam Ritz, spokesman for the restaurant, said that a worker who contracted the virus had left the country and got sick only three days after returning to work. The worker was at the restaurant from August 19 to 22 before presenting her symptoms.

Ritz stated that the worker had been sent home when he became ill and that it was subsequently confirmed that he was suffering from typhoid fever. No other employee or client has reported symptoms of the disease in the past month and strict hygiene procedures have been followed at the restaurant, said the spokesman.

Friday afternoon, officials at the Frisco Independent School District said that a student from Talley Elementary was also under investigation for his typhoid fever. The district indicated that the student was only suspected of having contracted the virus and that it had not been confirmed yet.

Frisco ISD told parents in a letter that Talley's campus was being disinfected.

It is not clear if the cases are related or if the strains of the virus are the same.

Dr. Jawaid Asghar, chief epidemiologist of Collin County Health Services, said the disease could be transmitted by a sick person who did not wash his hands after using the toilet before touching the food. a person in good health.

He stated that the McKinney case was the first confirmation of the XDR salmonella typhi strain in Texas.

"This is extremely resistant to drugs," said Asghar. "He is resistant to the drugs that we can normally administer for typhoid."

The worker is still receiving care for his illness and has not returned to work but has improved, Asghar said.

Hat Creek Burger Company has set up a hotline to answer customer questions or concerns. The number is 1-888-648-1613. People with questions can also call Collin County Health Services at 972-548-4707

Ashgar said that the risk of transmission of the disease by this patient was very low, but that the press had been asked to warn the people present in the restaurant during these three days to consult a doctor in case of illness.

Symptoms of salmonella typhi may include sustained fever up to 103-104 degrees. Infected people may also feel worse, or have more stomach pain, headaches, diarrhea or loss of appetite and constipation than adult diarrhea. In some cases, patients have a rash of pink-colored flat spots. Symptoms can begin between three days and 60 days, with an average of 8 to 14 days after exposure.

Salmonella is spread in the stool of a person with the bacteria. The disease can be caused by objects, food or water introduced into the mouth of people contaminated by bacteria.

The most important way to prevent the spread of this disease is to wash your hands thoroughly with everyone. Hands should be washed after using the toilet. Hands should also be washed before preparing food and before eating. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective when water and soap are not available.

You will find more information online about the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).