Salmonella Outbreak From Laboratories
A commercially available Salmonella Typhimurium strain used in laboratory settings has been linked to a Salmonella outbreak that has killed one person and sickened 72 others in 35 states. The lab Salmonella outbreak, announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), includes six cases in Pennsylvania, five each in Georgia and Washington, four in Minnesota and three in Wisconsin.
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CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states to investigate the outbreak associated with exposure to clinical and teaching microbiology laboratories. The lab Salmonella outbreaks includes small numbers of cases in a large amount of states:: AK (1), AL (3), AZ (2), CA (1), GA (5), IA (1), ID (2), IL (3), IN (1), KS (1), KY (3), MA (2), MD (2), MI (2), MN (4), MO (2), NC (1), ND (1), NE (2), NJ (2), NM (3), NV (1), NY (1), OH (1), OK (1), OR (1), PA (6), SC (2), SD (1), TN (2), TX (1), UT (3), WA (5), WI (3), WY (1). The CDC says 14 percent of patients have been hospitalized.
The outbreak was active from February through March, but new cases have diminished. Illnesses have been identified among students in microbiology teaching laboratories and employees in clinical microbiology laboratories. The New Mexico Department of Health found that the outbreak strain was indistinguishable from a commercially available Salmonella Typhimurium strain used in laboratory settings. This commercially available strain was known to be present in several teaching or clinical laboratories associated with ill students or employees infected with the outbreak strain.
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If you work with Salmonella bacteria in a microbiology laboratory, the CDC advises that you watch for symptoms of Salmonella infection, such as diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Call your health care provider if you or a family member has any of these symptoms. The agency also has the following tips to avoid spreading dangerous bacteria used in labs:
- Wash hands frequently while working in and immediately after leaving the lab -- especially before preparing food or baby bottles, before eating and before contact with young children.
- Do not bring food, drinks or personal items like car keys, cell phones and mp3 players into the laby. These items may become contaminated if you touch them while working or if you place them on work surfaces.
- Do not bring pens, notebooks, and other items used inside of the microbiology laboratory into your home.
- Wear a lab coat or other protective uniform over personal clothing. Leave it in the laboratory when you are finished. Dispose of protective clothing appropriately or deposit it for laundering by the institution.
