Multiple Salmonella Cases Reported In Connecticut: CDC

Nine cases of human Salmonella infections have been reported in Connecticut this year, all linked to backyard poultry, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those nine cases, which have not been fatal, are among reports of salmonella outbreaks that have afflicted 961 people in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

One person out of the 961 cases has died, and a total of 215 people required hospitalization. The outbreaks were reported between Jan. 4 and July 31, according to the CDC.

Salmonella is a foodborne disease that affects more than 1 million Americans annually. Severe cases can require hospitalization and possibly cause death.

"Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection," writes the CDC. "The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment."

To avoid Salmonella infections, the CDC advises people to do the following:

• Cook poultry, ground beef, and eggs thoroughly. Do not eat or drink foods containing raw eggs, or raw (unpasteurized) milk.
• If you are served undercooked meat, poultry or eggs in a restaurant, don't hesitate to send it back to the kitchen for further cooking.
• Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry.
• Be particularly careful with foods prepared for infants, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.
• Wash hands with soap after handling reptiles, birds, or baby chicks, and after contact with pet feces.
• Avoid direct or even indirect contact between reptiles (turtles, iguanas, other lizards, snakes) and infants or immunocompromised persons.
• Don't work with raw poultry or meat, and an infant (e.g., feed, change diaper) at the same time.
• Mother's milk is the safest food for young infants. Breastfeeding prevents salmonellosis and many other health problems.

On its website, the CDC also offers a FAQ with information about live poultry and how to deal with the animals.

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