CDC reports widespread salmonella outbreak due to turkey consumption

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Ninety people in 26 states have been sick and 40 hospitalized since November According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonella outbreaks are linked to raw turkey products.

Although the CDC does not advise consumers to avoid eating turkey, it recommends caution when handling raw turkey. No deaths have been reported during the outbreak.

"We are concerned about widespread contamination – from live turkeys to raw turkey products that people eat and eat," said Laura Gieraltowski, Ph.D., head of the intervention team. against foodborne outbreaks at the CDC. [19659004Lesmaladiesliéesàcetteépidémieontétéidentifiéesdèsnovembre2017Gieraltowskiadéclaréquel'agencen'avaitpasalertélepublicjusqu'àprésentenpartieparcequ'ellenepouvaitpasidentifierunesourcecommunequ'ellepourraitdireauxgensd'éviterLeCDCn'atoujoursretrouvélasourcedelacontaminationchezaucunfabricantusinedetraitementtypededindeouferme

Consumer advocates have raised questions about the delay.

"Since this epidemic has lasted for nine months, it is still surprising that the USDA and the CDC have not warned the public sooner so people know how to pay special attention to the raw turkey "said Jean Halloran, director of food policy.

Gieraltowski said that the investigation into this outbreak of salmonellosis was complex.

"We have sick people who report many different types of turkey products with many different brands. and buying them from many different places, "she said. People who became ill reported having been in contact with ground turkey, pieces of turkey (such as chest pestle) or whole turkeys.

Consumer Reports' food safety experts agree with the CDC's position. eat turkey, as long as you take precautions when handling and cooking.

"It is extremely important to adopt good food safety practices," said Halloran. It means cooking the turkey thoroughly and washing anything else, including the hands, that touched the turkey. (More on safe handling of turkey, below.)

The CDC also recommends people not to feed their pets. Two outbreaks occurred in homes where pets had been fed raw turkey.

This is the ninth annual outbreak of salmonellosis by the authorities – the others occur in foods as diverse as precut melon, eggs and Honey Smacks cereals. , and grated and frozen coconut.

Two people who became ill told the CDC that they had given their pets pet food. In February, the Minnesota Department of Health alerted consumers that a pet food company had recalled some of its products because of these two cases of salmonellosis related to pet foods

. FSIS) found the same strain of salmonella that makes people sick during routine testing of turkey processing facilities. So far, FSIS has found the type of salmonella causing the current outbreak in 19 slaughterhouses and 6 processing establishments.

Most states where people get sick are found in the eastern half of the country, but some western states

The CDC said it asked turkey industry representatives what measures the manufacturers take to prevent salmonella contamination.

The National Federation of Turkey, the trade association representing turkey manufacturers, told CR: "Our members individually review their Salmonella control programs in all phases of turkey production and work collectively. .. to fight against all strains of Salmonella. "

The severity of this toxin

It usually takes 12 to 72 hours after you have ingested something contaminated with salmonella to become ill. The main symptoms are diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and sometimes vomiting.

The salmonella strain involved in the current turkey outbreak is known as the Reading strain.

"There is no indication that this strain is more virulent than other strains," Gieraltowski said. Of all the people disgusted in this epidemic, investigators know the hospitalization status of 78 people. The fact that 40 of them – a higher proportion than in some other homes – may simply reflect the fact that it's usually only the most serious cases that are reported to the CDC, she said. .

The CDC tested several bacterial samples of people who became ill and found that some bacteria showed signs of antibiotic resistance. But the agency said the antibiotics that the bacteria resisted are not those usually used in the treatment of salmonella infections.

According to Gieraltowski, antibiotic resistance "has really no clinical relevance in this case."

Still, it is possible that poultry is the source of an antibiotic-resistant infection. Most people recover from salmonella without treatment, but in some severe cases, if the infection spreads beyond the intestines, antibiotics are needed. The subjects most at risk of serious infection are young children, older adults, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals

Consumer Reports and the CDC recommend taking precautions to avoid salmonella infection.

Preventing Salmonellosis

"This outbreak is a reminder that raw turkey products can contain germs that spread around food preparation areas and can make you sick," notes the CDC in its report. Here are some precautions to take:

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• Cook all turkeys have an internal temperature of 165 ° F before eating. "If possible, use a meat thermometer," advises Sana Mujahid, Ph.D., head of food safety research at CR

• Do not wash the raw turkey before preparing it, as this may simply spread the turkey sprouts on your kitchen Make sure you wash all counters, cutting boards, utensils and all other kitchen items that come in contact with the raw turkey.

• And finally, "Do not give your pets a raw turkey," says Mujahid. You can get sick if you handle raw pet food and do not wash your hands, and your pets may also get sick with salmonella.

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