The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is searching for the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 400 people in 42 states so far. The CDC has not released the list of states affected nor have they provided any information about what foods may be spreading the Salmonella bacteria.

Federal health officials say that at least 388 people have contracted the same strain of Salmonella since September which has sent about 70 people to the hospital. No deaths have been reported. Other sources report that Ohio, California, and Georgia are among the states affected.

The Department of Agriculture, state health officials and the Food and Drug Administration are also involved in the investigation.

Salmonella infections are relatively common, affecting approximately 40,000 people every year in the United States, in this case all 388 people were sickened by the same strain of the bacterium, Salmonella typhimurium, as determined by genetic fingerprinting. The CDC says this type of is most common in contaminated poultry, cheese, and eggs.

Most people infected with salmonella develop fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea between 12 and 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. Infants, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses are at the highest risk for complications.

The CDC is likely to conduct a thorough investigation before naming any foods that could be affected. In the summer of 2008, the CDC announced that tomatoes were the likely cause of a large Salmonella outbreak, only to announce later that the major cause of the outbreak was actually jalapeño and serrano peppers.

Until a cause of the outbreak is confirmed, the CDC recommends that you thoroughly cook all meats, poultry, and eggs, as well as cautioning you to avoid consuming raw or unpasteurized milk and other dairy products. Produce should be thoroughly washed as well, especially if it is eaten raw. Wash your hands frequently when preparing food and don’t use the same utensils or cookware to hold both raw and cooked meat and poultry unless they have been thoroughly washed.

For more information about Salmonella, join the Healia Health Community for Salmonella Infections.

Related blog post: The 4 Most Common Causes of Foodborne Disease


_{Photo: CDC/Janice Haney Carr, Public Health Image Library}