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An "exotic" strain of salmonella has caused the recall of some egg marks in four states and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of hens.
Five people between the ages of 20 and 80 contracted Salmonella enteritidis from eggs produced by Bridgewater Poultry in Victoria, the state health department said.
A person also became ill in Tasmania in February, but has since recovered.
"It's like an exotic parasite: it's the salmonella cane," said Brett Sutton, Public Health Officer in Victoria, about the strain.
"It's not a normal organism that's found in eggs in Victoria or even Australia."
Symptoms include fever, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. They usually start between six and 72 hours after eating contaminated food and can last up to a week.
The company's outdoor and laid eggs are packaged under the brands Woolworths, Victorian Fresh and Loddon Valley, with expiry dates from March 20th to April 29th.
They are on the shelves in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia. All other eggs are safe for health, said Sutton.
The Department of Health and Social Services with Agriculture Victoria's inspectors identified the strain on the property during a routine farm check on Monday. Quarantine measures were imposed.
The Victoria cases are believed to be linked to properties contaminated by the NSW last year, with an ongoing national survey to determine how they could be connected, Sutton said.
The Australian group Australian Eggs said the country was among the safest eggs in the world and urged consumers to continue eating them, with the exception of products at risk.
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