The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a new outbreak of Salmonella infections.
Authorities have not yet identified the source of the Salmonella illum outbreak, but a tracing investigation has begun. The FDA has not said which foods are being traced.
As of July 10, there were 26 confirmed cases in this outbreak. The FDA has not disclosed the ages or locations of the patients.
There are likely many more cases in this outbreak due to under-reporting, as many people do not seek medical attention or receive specific treatment for Salmonella. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 29 unreported cases in Salmonella outbreaks for every confirmed case.
Other infection outbreak news
The number of cases of Salmonella Typhimurium infections has increased from 80 to 83 over the past week. The investigation is ongoing and the FDA has launched a follow-up investigation. The FDA has not yet announced which foods are being tracked.
The FDA did not report the ages or locations of the patients.
Salmonella infection
Food contaminated with Salmonella usually doesn’t look, smell, or taste bad. However, anyone can get sick from Salmonella. According to the CDC, infants, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness because of their weakened immune systems.
Anyone who develops symptoms of a Salmonella infection should see a doctor. Because special tests are required to diagnose Salmonella infection, affected people should tell their doctor that they may have been exposed to Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can be similar to other illnesses, often leading to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever that appear within 12 to 72 hours of consuming contaminated food. Otherwise healthy adults usually become ill for four to seven days, although in some cases the diarrhea can become so severe that hospitalization is required.
Elderly people, children, pregnant women, cancer patients and others with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening symptoms.
Some people who are infected don’t show symptoms, but they can still spread the infection to others.
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