Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak, Source FOUND!

Posted in Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls,Salmonella on July 14, 2021

Salmonella Typhimurium is back in the news with a mystery source. Here’s what we know about this Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak:

UPDATE: A source has been found. Read all about it here.

8 people are sick from an unknown number of states. We do know that more than one state is involved, due to the CDC’s investigation and reporting.

Otherwise, the CDC and FDA are continuing their search for a source and hopefully, traceback to a manufacturer or grower.

In the meantime, they offer the following advice:

“Although most healthy people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems. In addition, some people are at a higher risk for developing foodborne illness, including pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes). To keep your family safer from food poisoning, follow these four simple steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill.”

Salmonella Typhimurium in 2017, Could Labs Be the Link Here?

Salmonella typhimurium has a murine reservoir (a rodent) where it produces a typhoid fever-like disease.

In 2017, the CDC and public health officials in several states identified a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to various clinical, commercial, and teaching microbiology laboratories.

• • Twenty-four people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium were reported from 16 states.
  • Six ill people were hospitalized.
  • No deaths were reported.
  • The strain of Salmonella Typhimurium has previously been associated with infections linked to microbiology laboratory exposure in 2011 and 2014

Laboratory-associated salmonellosis continues to be a public health problem. This outbreak is a reminder that bacteria used in microbiology laboratories can sicken people who work in labs. Others who live in their households can also get sick, even if the household members never visited the laboratory.

About Salmonella

Salmonella bacteria is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States.  Each year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports an estimated 1.2 million cases of illness.  Around 23,000 of those are severe enough to require hospitalizations.  The CDC estimates 450 deaths related to Salmonella infections each year.

Salmonella Illness – What To Look For

Salmonella can present itself as many other common illnesses.

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Headache

As with any food safety issue, it is important to contact your doctor in order to get the right treatment. Salmonella can go away by itself sometimes, but if you have symptoms that are described below, seek medical attention immediately:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
• Bloody stools
• Prolonged vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as: making very little urine, dry mouth, and dizziness when standing up

Untreated illnesses can lead to worse conditions. Do not attempt to take care of this alone. Longer exposure could and will lead to complications if not treated.

Causes of Salmonella Food Poisoning

Salmonella bacteria live in the intestines of people, animals and birds. Most people are infected with salmonella by eating foods that have been contaminated by feces. Commonly infected foods include:

• Raw meat, poultry and seafood. Feces may get onto raw meat and poultry during the butchering process. Seafood may be contaminated if harvested from contaminated water.
• Raw eggs. While an egg’s shell may seem to be a perfect barrier to contamination, some infected chickens produce eggs that contain salmonella before the shell is even formed. Raw eggs are used in homemade versions of mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce.
• Fruits and vegetables. Some fresh produce, particularly imported varieties, may be hydrated in the field or washed during processing with water contaminated with salmonella. Contamination also can occur in the kitchen, when juices from raw meat and poultry come into contact with uncooked foods, such as salads.
  

  Steps in Laboratory Testing and Reporting Salmonella

  • Laboratory scientists identify Salmonella infection by culturing a patient’s sample. If Salmonella bacteria grow, then the diagnosis is confirmed, or in laboratory-terms, “culture confirmed.”
  • Clinical diagnostic laboratories report the test results to the treating clinician and submit Salmonella isolates to state and territorial public health laboratories for serotyping and DNA fingerprinting.
  • The public health laboratories report the results to CDC’s Laboratory-based Enteric Disease Surveillance and to PulseNet
  • The public health laboratories forward atypical serotypes to CDC’s National Salmonella Reference Laboratory for more characterization or confirmation.

How The Lange Law Firm Can Help

Our mission is to help families who have been harmed by contaminated food or water.  When corporations cause Salmonella food poisoning outbreaks, we use the law to hold them accountable.  The Lange Law Firm is the only law firm in the nation solely focused on helping families in food poisoning lawsuits and contaminated water lawsuits.

If you got Salmonella food poisoning in this Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak and are interested in making a legal claim for compensation, we can help.  Our Salmonella lawyer can help you pursue compensation for your Salmonella food poisoning.  Call us for a free no obligation legal consultation at (833) 330-3663 or send us an e-mail here.