02 | 8 | 2007 Posted By Pritzker | Ruohonen

Kane Coutny, Illinois, Salmonella Outbreak

Health officials in Kane County, Illinois, are investigating a recent Salmonella outbreak involving 15 laboratory-confirmed cases. So far, the county has not been able to pinpoint the source of the outbreak. A recent, nationwide Salmonella outbreak has been linked to tomatoes, but this Kane County Salmonella outbreak is not related to the larger-scale outbreak. There has also been a larger Salmonella outbreak linked to undercooked poultry products that sickened people in Minnesota, Wisconsin and other states.  Again, the Kane County Salmonella outbreak does not appear to be related to this outbreak.

Kane County has seen a general increase in Salmonella cases in the last few months and has urged residents to practice Salmonella infection prevention:

Foods most commonly associated with Salmonella food poisoning include meats, poultry, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. People are far more likely to contract salmonellosis at home than in a restaurant or from the grocery store, so be sure to handle food safely:
  • Hands should be washed thoroughly before and after handling food.
  • All meats and eggs should be thoroughly cooked.
  • All food preparation surfaces should be cleaned. Avoid cross-contamination by using different utensils, plates, cutting boards and counter tops before and after cooking.
  • All fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed before preparing and eating.
The health department is asking people displaying the symptoms, which include headaches, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, rumblings in the bowels, chills, fever, nausea and dehydration, to see their doctor.

A person may contract salmonellosis many times in his or her life and not always recognize it. Often it is mistaken for the “stomach flu.” Symptoms, which last from 24 hours to 12 days, usually appear six to 72 hours after ingestion, but people can carry Salmonella and exhibit no symptoms. Children younger than 1 year old, people who have had ulcer surgery or take antacids and those whose immune systems have been weakened by other ailments are most susceptible.

Salmonellosis is seldom fatal (the fatality rate is less than 1 percent). Two or three weeks after being infected with salmonella, one in 10,000 cases develops reactive arthritis or Reiter's syndrome as a complication. These patients also may develop an inflammation of the urethra and eyes.