Turkey Salmonella Outbreak in Illinois
Seven people from Illinois are case patients in the turkey Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 77 people in 26 states. Ground turkey has been implicated as the cause of this outbreak in Illinois, Ohio and other states. But as of yet the investigation has not identified the brand name or the manufacturing plant where the meat came from.
The Illinois Department of Public Health, along with local health departments in Illinois, are collaborating with the CDC and USDA to investigate. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg is resistant to some antibiotics. Any potential information on the contamination source will come from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the primary regulator for meat.
Nationally, the turkey outbreak has caused one Salmonella death and the illnesses have occurred since the first day of March. The outbreak is ongoing. Of the seven cases in Illinois with the same type of Salmonella as the outbreak, at least one person has been hospitalized. Reports of illness in Illinois started on March 21, 2011, with the most recent case patient becoming ill on June 29. Case patients range in age from 3 to 60 years and were reported in Cass County, Cook County, DuPage County, Madison County, Peoria County, Will County and Williamson County. This area encompasses Chicago and other Illinois cities.
