Sick with Salmonella?
Call (612) 337-6126
Elliot Olsen has regained millions of dollars for people sickened by Salmonella, and he is currently representing four clients in the national Salmonella outbreak from contaminated eggs. If you or a family member consumed food at the events catered by Plain Nuts Catering and became ill, please call (612) 337-6126, or complete the following:
A Salmonella outbreak in Georgia might have been produced by food provided by Plain Nuts Catering & Deli, the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments said. Four people were hospitalized and at least 70 sickened in the outbreak.
People who became ill reported attending events catered by Plain Nuts on April 28 and May 9 in Newton County, about 40 miles southeast of Atlanta.
Alana Sulka, director of epidemiology and community health for the health departments, told the Rockdale Newton Citizen that the outbreak was first reported to her office May 4. In an emailed response, Sulka said the health departments are investigating the outbreak, including “identifying the source and commonalities among those that are ill.”
The health departments issued a statement stating that “exposure and illness information from the second cluster of illness is still under investigation; however, out of an abundance of caution, the catering facility has closed until a full investigation can be conducted. The last exposure date reported among ill individuals was May 9. There is no indication of an ongoing threat of Salmonella infections related to this outbreak.”
Anyone who attended the two catered events or who consumed foods or beverages from Plain Nuts Catering & Deli and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should tell their primary health-care providers about their possible exposure to the pathogen.
Plain Nuts Catering:
Specific source unknown
The specific bacteria associated with this Salmonella outbreak have not been identified, and neither has the specific food item. The health departments are waiting on results for many of the victims tested.
“At this time, the investigation is ongoing and we do not have a definitive source of infection for all of the cases,” a spokesperson said.
Sulka said most victims have sought treatment with their primary care physicians or through urgent care centers. “At this point, we are aware of four individuals who were hospitalized due to their illness,” she told the Citizen in her email.
A Salmonella outbreak in Georgia might have been produced by food provided by Plain Nuts Catering & Deli, according to the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments. Four people have been hospitalized and at least 70 sickened in the outbreak.
Plain Nuts Catering:
Salmonella 101
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Salmonella bacteria are responsible for about 1.2 million cases of food poisoning in the United States annually. Salmonella produce salmonellosis, which affects the intestinal tract and can develop anywhere from 12 hours to three days after eating contaminated food.
Symptoms of salmonellosis generally involve:
- diarrhea, which can become debilitating
- severe abdominal pain
- vomiting
- fever
- chills.
Symptoms can last up to a week; most people recover without requiring medical attention. Diarrhea can be so severe, however, that hospitalization becomes necessary.
The CDC estimates that of those 1.2 million annual cases, approximately 23,000 victims will require hospitalization, and about 450 of them will die. People most at risk for developing complications are children younger than 5, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Salmonella complications
Complications can occur when the Salmonella bacteria enter the bloodstream. Those complications can produce numerous conditions with long-term consequences, such as:
- meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
- endocarditis, an infection of the heart’s inner lining; it usually involves the heart valves.
- osteomyelitis, a type of bone inflammation that usually affects the legs, arms, or spine.
- reactive arthritis, or Reiter’s syndrome, a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to a Salmonella infection in another part of the body.
Pregnancies at risk
Pregnant women must be especially vigilant about avoiding Salmonella infection. Their immune systems are weakened because of hormonal changes.
A pregnant woman who contracts salmonellosis can potentially suffer a miscarriage, enter into premature labor, or experience stillbirth.
Most common affected foods
Many different foods can carry Salmonella bacteria, including dairy, meat, fish, raw fruits and vegetables, spices, and nuts. To provide an example of the broad range of foods that can be contaminated, the CDC reported nine Salmonella outbreaks in the U.S. for 2015-16 from these disparate foods:
- eggs
- alfalfa sprouts
- pistachios
- packaged organic shake and meal product
- nut butter spread
- cucumbers
- pork
- frozen chicken
- frozen raw tuna.
