Three dozen people have been hospitalized or sick with salmonella after eating meat. (Tyler O’Neill / Adobe Stock)
WASHINGTON – A dozen people have been hospitalized with salmonella and two dozen patients since Aug. 24 in multistate outbreaks of two different strains of salmonella, the State Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Units.
People who became ill reported eating salami, prosciutto and other sausages that can be found in assortments of antipasto or charcuterie.
“Researchers are working to identify specific contaminated products and determine if the two outbreaks are related to the same food source,” the CDC said.
“Until we identify which Italian-style meats cause disease, heat all Italian-style meats to an internal temperature of 165 ° F or until they are hot before eating if you are most at risk,” the CDC advises.
You are at higher risk for a serious salmonella disease if you are 65 years of age or older, have a chronic illness or a compromised immune illness, or take any medication that reduces your immunity and your body’s ability to fight germs.
“Children under the age of 5 are also more likely to have a lot of Salmonella disease,” the CDC said.
Multistate outbreak
The count of cases of infections from both outbreaks is likely to be much higher, the CDC said, as it can take weeks for disease reports to be alerted, counted and investigated. In addition, according to the CDC, many people could have mild illnesses that are not reported.
A salmonella strain called Typhimurium infected a group of 23 people in 14 states, including one in Utah, between late May and July 27, the CDC said. Laboratory tests found that 20 of these cases were resistant to common antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline.
Nine people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
The states involved in the Typhimurium outbreak are: Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
A different strain
Another 13 people became infected between early May and late June with a strain called infantile salmonella, which usually affects children under 2. Patients ranged in age from 1 to 74; of these, three would have been hospitalized.
No deaths have been reported and laboratory tests found no antibiotic resistance.
States involved in the child strain outbreak include Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota and New York.
Symptoms of salmonella
Salmonella symptoms usually begin within 12 to 72 hours after consuming contaminated food. These can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever that lasts four to seven days, according to the CDC.
Most people recover on their own, but people with persistent diarrhea may need to be hospitalized. In rare cases, the infection can enter the bloodstream and cause serious illness.