According to the CDC, at least 127 people were sick – 18 were hospitalized – during an epidemic of salmonella covering dozens of States. As of September 15 15, outbreak-related infections were reported in 25 states, with only Texas reporting 45.
“Several groups of people (‘subclusters’) at restaurants in multiple states have been identified. These subclusters are groups of people who do not know one another who ate at the same restaurant and got sick. Investigating these subclusters can sometimes help identify a food item eaten by all of the sick people that could be the source of the outbreak.” the CDC declared.
Some people may get diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after exposure to salmonella. The symptoms usually last 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In rare cases, infection with salmonella can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.
Salmonella is typically spread through contaminated food or water. In recent years, it has been associated with eggs from chickens that are not raised in sanitary conditions. It can also be spread by consuming tainted poultry. Health officials are warning consumers to take extra precautions when handling or preparing these foods because salmonella cases are at an all-time high.
Here are some tips to help you prevent salmonella:
Ask your butcher for advice on how to properly butcher poultry. Ask him or her how old the chicken was when it was slaughtered, what kind of processing it went through (such as whole bird, parts only, boneless), and where it came from (such as a local farm).
Restrict raw foods if you have a young child. If you have a young child under age 4, consider limiting their exposure to raw meats and poultry by avoiding eating them at home and instead of feeding them high-quality commercially prepared baby foods that have been pasteurized to kill all bacteria.
