CDC investigates source of salmonella outbreak after 127 cases of illness in 25 states – NBC Chicago



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Public health officials are investigating the source of a salmonella outbreak after more than 100 cases were reported in 25 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of September 15, the CDC had identified 127 people in half of the U.S. states infected with the oranienburg strain of salmonella, but the agency said the actual number of sick people could be much higher, according to a September 17 advisory. .

“Many people are recovering without medical attention and are not being tested for Salmonella,” the CDC said in the notice posted on its website.

Public health officials have yet to determine the cause of the infections and continue to ask people about the foods they ate in the week before their first symptoms.

However, certain groups of people who ate at the same restaurant before their illness have been identified in multiple states, which can help identify common foods they ate.

Texas had the most reported cases, with 45 identified, followed by Minnesota with 13. Other states include Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, California, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Kansas, New Mexico, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, North and South Carolina, Nebraska, Utah and Oklahoma.

The age of the patients varies from less than 1 to 82 years and 59% are women. In addition, 18 hospitalizations were reported among the 49 cases for which information was available.

The agency also said it takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak, so some recent illnesses may not yet be reported.

The CDC encourages people with symptoms of salmonella to contact their health care provider and report any illness to the health department.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit, stomach cramps, excessive vomiting, and signs of dehydration. In most cases, people recover without medical attention after four to seven days. Some serious cases require hospitalization.

To avoid contracting salmonella, the CDC recommends four safety measures when preparing food: wash hands, utensils, and surfaces, separate raw foods, use a food thermometer, and refrigerate perishables in both. time.

Each year, salmonella causes approximately 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States, according to the CDC.

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