Turkey Burger Salmonella Outbreak Strain Proving Resistant to Multiple Antibiotics
The turkey burger Salmonella outbreak is providing the public health community with yet another example of an antimicrobial resistant pathogen spread in food. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Jennie-O outbreak strain of Salmonella Hadar is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics, which can increase the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals.
By April 1 a dozen people in 10 states were infected by Salmonella associated with Jennie-O turkey burgers sold at Sam's Club stores nationwide, including three people in Wisconsin. Salmonella lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are continuing to investigate and accept cases at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or via the law firm's turkey Salmonella lawsuit contact page.
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Foodborne illnesses due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been occurring since the 1970s. A recent study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) shows a steady increase of such outbreaks in every decade since the 1970s, though that may also be due to increased testing and reporting. In its study of 35 documented outbreaks, raw milk, raw milk cheeses and ground beef appeared to carry the resistant pathogens most frequently.
A widely held view is that overuse of antibiotics on farm animals has squandered their effectiveness and leave consumers vulnerable to hard-to-treat foodborne infections.
In the CSPI analysis, multi-drug resistance was found in 10 out of 14 outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant foodborne illness reported between 2000 and 2009. Like CSPI, PritzkerOlsen founder and president Fred Pritzker says the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria needs much greater scrutiny by federal government if antibiotics are to remain effective in treating human and veterinary illnesses. Pritzker, one of the nation's leading practitioners of foodborne illness litigation, is actively involved in efforts to prevent outbreaks and has collected millions of dollars for victims of Salmonella, including numerous Salmonella death tragedies
