An outbreak of salmonellosis, food poisoning caused by bacteria of the salmonella genus, already accumulates 92 cases throughout Europe and adds one death. This has been reported by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDPC), which indicates some cherry tomatoes as possible vehicles of infection.
The agency reports that since August 2022 cases of Salmonella Senftenberg have been reported in Austria (5), Belgium (4), Czechia (4), Estonia (1), Finland (12), France (16), Germany (26) , Ireland (1), the Netherlands (5), Norway (1), Sweden (11), the United Kingdom (4) and the United States (2). In Spain, there are no affected.
The first case was reported in August 2022 in France and the most recent was registered this June in Sweden. But notifications have declined since December, and the ECDPC considers the “risk of new infections to be low.”
The outbreak strain was detected in a plate of mixed salad containing cherry tomatoes and leafy greens, with a production date of August 17, 2022. These foods have been traced to wholesalers in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, and to tomato growers in the Netherlands, Spain and Morocco.
“In the absence of microbiological evidence on tomatoes, the role of traced food companies and growers as sources of infections and/or points of contamination could not be established,” the agency notes.
Various animals can carry salmonella, and humans usually become infected by eating undercooked or raw and contaminated food. The incubation period and symptoms depend on the amount of bacteria ingested, the person’s immune status, and the type of salmonella.
Symptoms, which usually appear 12 to 36 hours after consumption of the contaminated food, include fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. “Antibiotic treatment is not normally needed, but due to the effect of dehydration, hospital admission may be necessary,” notes the ECDPC, which encourages public health agencies to collaborate with food safety authorities in countries where antibiotics have been reported. reported cases
In extreme cases, an infection can be fatal, especially in the elderly and immunocompromised people.
