‘Unknown source’ salmonella outbreak detected in 25 states

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on Friday that an outbreak of salmonella due to an “unknown food source” had been detected in 25 states in the United States.

The agency said on September 2 it identified an outbreak of 20 oranienburg salmonella infections and that since then “the outbreak has grown rapidly.”

As of Wednesday, 127 people were infected with the epidemic strain and the illnesses reported began on dates ranging from August 3, 2021 to September 1, 2021.

People between the ages of one and 82 have been infected.

The median age is 33 and 59% are women.

Of 49 people for whom information is available, the CDC wrote that 18 have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

“The actual number of sick people in an outbreak is probably much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to states where the diseases are known. Indeed, many people recover without medical attention and are not tested for Salmonella, ”he said. “Also, recent illnesses may not yet be reported, as it typically takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak. “

In order to determine the source of the outbreak, national and local health authorities ask patients about the foods they ate in the week before infection.

The CDC noted that several groups of people who ate at the same restaurant and became ill have been identified, which could help with the effort. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzes records collected from restaurants.

As the investigation continues, public health officials are using the PulseNet system – which maintains a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses – to identify illnesses that may be part of the ‘epidemic.

Additionally, using whole genome sequencing, the CDC found that bacteria from samples from sick people are closely genetically related, meaning those affected by the outbreak likely got sick from the same food. .

“WGS Analysisbacteria from samples from 98 people did not predict resistance to any antibiotics. Standardantibiotic sensitivity testby CDCNational Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (SNARM)lab is currently underway, ”the CDC said.

Symptoms of salmonella typically start six hours to six days after infection, and most people recover without treatment after four to seven days – although some, including children under 5 and adults under 65 and more and people with weakened immune systems, may experience more serious illnesses. These symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.

Those who believe they have these symptoms should also report their illness to the health department and help public health investigators, as well as note what was eaten in the week before the onset of illness.

To avoid salmonella, people should wash their hands, utensils, surfaces and rinse fruits and vegetables, separate foods that will not be cooked from raw meat, poultry and seafood, use a thermometer for food and ensure that the food has been cooked at a high temperature. enough to kill germs and refrigerate perishable foods within two hours and thaw foods in the refrigerator.