Raw turkey Salmonella outbreak keeps growing

The raw turkey Salmonella outbreak that has been making people sick for months just continues to grow, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Since the last update of 2018 on Dec. 21, 63 illnesses in 24 states and the District of Columbia were added to the investigation. As of this writing:

• 279 people have been infected with Salmonella Reading in 41 states and D.C.
• 107 people have been hospitalized
• one death has been reported (California).

According to the CDC, epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicates that raw turkey products from a variety of sources are contaminated. In interviews, victims report eating different types and brands of raw turkey products purchased from many different locations, and four victims lived in households where raw turkey pet food was fed to pets.

The raw turkey Salmonella outbreak that has been making people sick for months continues to grow. The CDC’s latest update: 279 people have been sickened, and one victim has died.

Raw turkey Salmonella:
Several recalls implemented

One common supplier of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has not been identified that could account for the entire outbreak, but several products have been recalled (link) because they might have been contaminated with Salmonella. The list:

Ground turkey

• Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC, in Faribault, Minnesota, recalled about 164,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products on Dec. 21. The recalled products were sold in 1-pound, 2.5-pound and 3-pound packages labeled with establishment number “P-579” (found on the side of the product tray package).
• Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC, in Barron, Wisconsin, recalled about 147,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products on Nov. 15. The recalled products were sold in 1-pound packages labeled with establishment number “P-190” (found inside the USDA mark of inspection).

Pet food

• Woody’s Pet Food Deli in Minnesota recalled raw turkey pet food on Jan. 28. The recalled products were sold in 5-pound plastic containers labeled “Woody’s Pet Food Deli Raw Free Range Turkey” and were sold only in Minnesota.
• Raws for Paws of Minneapolis recalled about 4,000 pounds of its 1- and 5-pound chubs of Ground Turkey Pet Food on Feb. 5.

Raw turkey Salmonella:
About the disease

Salmonella produces a foodborne illness called salmonellosis, and according to the CDC, about 1.2 million Americans contract salmonellosis every year. In addition, about 23,000 people will need to be hospitalized because of their infection, and 450 victims will die because of it.

Most people who become infected with Salmonella ingest the bacteria from contaminated food or water. Contamination typically occurs after infected feces comes into contact with animals, crops or water, and people then consume or touch those items and don’t wash their hands.

Humans and animals, including birds, naturally have Salmonella bacteria in their stomach and intestines, but stomach acid and intestinal bacteria kill the Salmonella before it has the opportunity to invade cells and replicate.

Raw turkey Salmonella:
Salmonellosis symptoms

Salmonellosis can develop anywhere from 12-72 hours after consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella. As with most types of foodborne illnesses, symptoms generally include:

• abdominal aches
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• fever
• chills.

Symptoms can last as long as a week, and most people recover without needing to see a health-care professional. In some cases, however, diarrhea can become so severe that dehydration occurs, and then hospitalization is necessary.

Raw turkey Salmonella:
High-risk demographics

People at the greatest risk of developing salmonellosis include young children, senior citizens, and anyone with a weakened immune system, most predominately pregnant women. In addition, anyone suffering from a disease of the intestinal tract, such as inflammatory bowel disease, is highly susceptible.

Healthy adults can become more susceptible to Salmonella by taking antacids, which lower the stomach’s acidity, or by taking an antibiotic, which reduces the number of Salmonella-killing bacteria in the intestines.