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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared a national salmonella outbreak after one person died and hundreds became ill.
Experts previously linked the outbreak to foods made with imported eggs, and all of the related cases feature a specific, identical strain of the bacteria.
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According to the UKHSA, 199 of the 207 recent cases have been in England, with six in Scotland, one in Wales, and one in Northern Ireland. The majority of those affected experienced “self-limiting gastrointestinal illness. Thirty-eight percent of people were admitted to hospital, and two had a bloodstream infection. One person has died.
While thoroughly cooking eggs, meat, and produce can prevent infection, the current outbreak mostly involves foods that were not prepared at home. The UKHSA said that “extensive” investigations are ongoing to identify the sources of the contamination. Of the 114 interviewees, 83 percent reported eating food prepared outside of the home in the week prior to symptom onset.
Around 24 cases were linked to five food businesses, and 11 of those cases included dishes made with eggs. Local investigations also identified “possible cross-contamination risk events” within two of the food business settings.
People have been urged to watch out for stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever. Older people, babies, and other vulnerable groups have been advised to avoid eating runny eggs, and to contact their GP if they experience relevant symptoms.
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FDA issues US egg recall over salmonella
Salmonellosis, a salmonella infection, is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa.
According to the UK government’s general guidance, there are more than 2,500 strains of salmonella bacteria, and these strains live in the digestive system of domestic, wild, and farmed animals, including cows, pigs, and chickens.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) elevated its recall of 1.6 million dozen eggs over salmonella concerns to class 1, which it defines as a situation in which there is a “reasonable probability” that exposure will cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.” The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that eggs contaminated with salmonella had caused the infection of at least 98 people across 17 states. Twenty-six people have been hospitalized.
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