Salmonella Antibiosoresistant At Poulet Sickens 92

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced another extensive outbreak of salmonella, this time in raw chicken products.

Already in 2018, 14 salmonella outbreaks in several states have already occurred, including ground beef, melon, eggs, Honey Smacks cereals and kosher chicken. What is particularly disturbing about this latest warning of food poisoning is that the salmonella strain in question is resistant to many types of antibiotics, making it more difficult to treat.

So far, 92 people in 29 states have become ill after eating contaminated chicken and 22 have been hospitalized. The states where diseases have been reported are: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

The first disease was reported in January 2018 and the CDC opened an investigation in May. Nevertheless, many questions remain unanswered about the source and cause of the epidemic.

"The investigation was difficult," says Colin Basler, DMV, MPH, veterinary epidemiologist at the CDC, who is part of the investigation team. "We have isolated bacteria from raw chicken products from 58 different slaughterhouses, but we have not been able to locate a particular brand or place of purchase, or even a particular type of product."

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Many types of raw chicken have been associated with this outbreak, including whole chicken, chicken pieces, ground chicken and even raw chicken pet food that a victim has provided to his dog. Another victim became ill after being in contact with a person who raises or processes chicken for a living.

According to Basler, Salmonella contamination in this outbreak probably occurred "upstream" of the slaughter facilities, which means a farm or other facility in which chickens are raised. For the moment, no specific facility has been located – and it seems unlikely that it will be found soon, he says. The last reported illness was on 19 September, but the CDC plans to register more cases in the coming weeks.

The CDC was waiting to release information until it could be more specific in its advice to consumers, according to Basler. But as new business did not stop happening – and because tainted chicken could still be on supermarket shelves now – the agency decided to remind the public that it was necessary handle and cook food healthily.

Thus, the chicken, even if it is contaminated, can still be eaten if it is handled and cooked properly.

"Raw meat products always have some degree of risk," he says. "We want to make sure that people wash their hands and surfaces with special care, and that their chicken is always cooked to 165 degrees."

The deputy Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), in a statement, strongly criticized the CDC and the Ministry of Agriculture, stating in particular: "Five years ago to the day, I wrote a letter to my former colleague, the late Congressman Louise Slaughter, at the CDC and the USDA about their mismanaged investigation and lack of action in response to a strain of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella that has contaminated chicken products throughout the country.

"Today, five years later, the CDC has informed the public of a new outbreak of antibiotic-resistant salmonella in chickens that has plagued it since January.The federal government and the poultry industry have to take this problem seriously.Since seen is not acceptable.Food safety policy. "

A resistant strain

This particular salmonella strain, Salmonella Infantis, can be quite severe or even deadly, and the fact that this strain is resistant to several antibiotics – meaning that the drugs will not kill the bacteria – is very worrisome, according to Jean Halloran, director of the Food Policy at Consumer Reports.

"Consumer Reports has long called on the USDA to classify as" adulterants "strains of salmonella such as those that make people sick and resistant to multiple medications," she says. "Currently, it is not illegal for this type of pathogen to be found in the chicken. If it was classified as adulterant, it would be."

According to the CDC, at least 2 million Americans contract an antibiotic-resistant infection each year and 23,000 die from it. CR calculations show that about 20% of these infections are related to food. A recent Consumer Reports survey also found that 1 in 3 Americans had an antibiotic-resistant infection or knew someone who was suffering from it.

Most cases of salmonella infection last for 4 to 7 days and do not require treatment. But if a case is serious enough, antibiotics may be needed. In these cases, the CDC warns health care providers that only certain antibiotics are likely to be effective.

Stay safe

Anyone can get sick from eating undercooked chicken, but those who are more likely to become seriously ill should pay particular attention. These include infants and children, pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised people.

"We know that it's not uncommon for raw chicken to be contaminated with salmonella," says Halloran. "But when you have such a tension, which makes a lot of people sick, it's especially important to follow proper safety procedures."

Consumer Reports will update this story as new information becomes available. In the meantime, take these precautions:

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• Wash your hands. Salmonella infections can easily be transmitted from one person to another if germs are present on the hands. Wash your hands vigorously with soap and water before and after preparing or consuming raw chicken or other meat.

• Cook the raw chicken thoroughly. Chicken breasts, whole chickens and chopped poultry, including burgers and chicken sausage, should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 ° F. Use a meat thermometer to check, by inserting it in the thickest part of the meat.

• Do not spread raw chicken sprouts in food preparation areas. It is not recommended to wash poultry or other raw meats before cooking because germs can easily spread to other foods and to kitchen surfaces. Wash countertops, cutting boards and utensils thoroughly with hot, soapy water after touching raw chicken. Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken and other meats and raw products.

• Avoid feeding animals with raw foods. According to the CDC, this practice increases the risk of contamination by the bacteria.

• Know the symptoms Salmonella usually causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps 12 to 72 hours after exposure to the bacteria. If you have high fever, bloody diarrhea or severe vomiting, or if the diarrhea lasts for more than three days, contact your doctor. This salmonella strain has also caused urinary tract infections in some patients.

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