You may want to pass the antipasto for a while.
Italian-style charcuterie meats, such as salami and prosciutto, have been linked to salmonella outbreaks in several states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Wednesday. The CDC confirmed that three dozen people have become ill with one of two salmonella strains in 17 states: Typhimurium salmonella (infecting 23 people in 14 states) or Infant salmonella (infecting 13 people in seven states).
The Typhimurium salmonella outbreak has been reported in Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. Laboratory tests found that 20 of these 23 cases were resistant to the usual antibiotics. Nine people were hospitalized and no deaths were reported from the press.
The Infantis salmonella outbreak, which usually infects children under the age of two, has been reported in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota and New York. The 13 people infected with this strain were between 1 and 74 years old; three were admitted to hospital, but no deaths have been reported since the time of the press. And laboratory tests found no antibiotic resistance in these cases.
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But the CDC added that “the actual number of sick people in outbreaks is likely to be much higher than the number reported, and outbreaks may not be limited to states with known diseases.” This is because many people who have symptoms of salmonella (diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, or headache) may not seek medical attention or get tested. In addition, it can take up to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak, the CDC noted, so recent cases may not have been reported yet.
Most people who fell ill with salmonella (88%) reported eating Italian-style meats such as salami, prosciutto, coppa and sopressata, which are often included in assortments of antipasto or charcuterie. “Researchers are working to identify which Italian-style brands and meat products are causing disease in people,” the CDC wrote.
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Meanwhile, health officials recommend that people most at risk for severe salmonella disease heat Italian-style meats to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or that the meats be hot before eating. Among those most at risk are infants who are not breastfed, those under five and adults 65 or older. People with a weakened immune system or people taking certain medications (such as stomach acid reducers or medications that weaken the immune system) are also at increased risk for serious salmonella infections.
Most people can recover from a salmonella infection within four to seven days alone and should drink extra fluids for the duration of the diarrhea to avoid dehydration.
Anyone with symptoms of salmonella should call a doctor, even if they have severe symptoms such as: diarrhea and fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit; bloody feces; diarrhea for more than three days that does not improve; prolonged vomiting that prevents them from keeping fluids low; and signs of dehydration such as low urine, dry mouth and throat, and dizziness when standing up. Antibiotics are used to treat those with serious illnesses or for those with a weakened immune system or other medical problems, such as heart disease.