Salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella enterica bacterium. The Salmonella family includes more than 2300 serotypes, but two types, Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium are prevalent in the United States and cause about half of the infections.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Salmonella cause approximately 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths in the United States every year. Salmonella infection is most common in June, July and August.

Anyone can become infected with Salmonella. Those at higher risk for severe disease include kids under the age of five, adults over 65 and those with compromised immune systems, including patients with HIV, diabetes, or those undergoing cancer treatment.

Most experience symptoms within 8-72 hours after the contaminated food is ingested. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever, diarrhea, headaches, fever and chills.

Often, the symptoms will dissipate within 3 to 7 days, but arthritis symptoms may follow three to four weeks after onset of acute symptoms.

Foods commonly involved in Salmonellosis include eggs or any egg-based food, salads (such as tuna, chicken, or potato), live poultry, beef, pork, processed meats, meat pies, fish, dairy, milk products, cream desserts and fillings, sandwich fillings, raw sprouts, and pistachios. Some animals including the pet hedgehogs that carry the bacteria in their feces, skin bedding and places they reside.

Salmonella bacteria are spread through indirect or direct contact with the intestinal contents or excrement of animals, including humans. It may also be spread to raw meat during processing, so it is important to make sure hands and working surfaces are thoroughly washed after contact with raw meat, fish and poultry and before working with foods that require no further cooking.

It is estimated that there are over 265,000 cases of STEC infection each year in the USA alone caused by E. coli O157:H7 – the dominant strain in the US. In Europe, where E. coli O104:H4 is common, it was linked responsible for the large outbreak in 2011.

The latest multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7, occurred in late 2018 and affected both the USA and Canada. It was linked to romaine lettuce grown in California and affected 62 people in 16 states and the District of Columbia, resulting in 25 hospitalizations and two cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). There were no deaths. An earlier outbreak that ended in June 2018 affected 210 persons in 36 states, resulting in 96 hospitalizations and 27 cases of HUS. Five deaths were reported. Product from Yuma, Arizona was implicated in this outbreak.

So far this year (Jan – Mar 2019) there have been only outbreaks causing Salmonellosis, from contaminated ground turkey and from handling pet hedgehogs.

Many foods, in addition to beef products, can become contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. These include unpasteurized milk and apple juice and cider, dry-cured salami, tahini, venison jerky, raw turkey and chicken products, eggs, dried coconut, cookie dough, sprouts, lettuce (any type), spinach, untreated water, and Kratom.

The disease can be spread by improper food handling, poor hygiene practices, and even handling infected pets.

Preventive strategies for E. coli infections include thorough washing and other measures to reduce the presence of the microorganism on raw food, thorough cooking of raw animal products, and avoiding recontamination of cooked meat with raw meat. To be safe, cook ground meats to 160 F.

Learn more about Salmonellosis and how to protect yourself at: https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/