Salmonella Hits 42 American States

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Salmonella Outbreak Hits 42 States

Jan. 7, 2008

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comWASHINGTON</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.A.</st1:country-region> - An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning has made 388 people sick across 42 states, sending 18 percent of them to the hospital, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> health officials said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to trace the source of the outbreak, which began in September. The Department of Agriculture, state health officials and the Food and Drug Administration are also involved.

The CDC said poultry, cheese and eggs are the most common source of this particular strain, known as Salmonella typhimurium.

"It is often difficult to identify sources of foodborne outbreaks. People may not remember the foods they recently ate and may not be aware of all of the ingredients in food. That's what makes these types of investigations very difficult," said CDC spokesman David Daigle.

Daigle did not specify how many people were hospitalized, but the percentage he gave puts that figure at about 70.

"Because foods of animal origin may be contaminated with Salmonella, people should not eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat. Persons also should not consume raw or unpasteurized milk or other dairy products. Produce should be thoroughly washed," he said.

Only <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ohio</st1:place></st1:State> state health officials have agreed to have their state named as one of those affected, with an estimated 50 cases.

Every year, approximately 40,000 people are reported ill with salmonella in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the CDC says, but it said many more cases are never reported.

There have been several recent high-profile outbreaks of foodborne illness in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region>, including a strain of Salmonella carried by peppers from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region> and that sickened 1,400 people from April to August of 2007 and an E. coli epidemic in 2006, traced to <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State> spinach, that killed three.

Salmonella-contaminated dry pet food sickened at least 79 people, including many young children, in October and November.

Places Germs Lurk:

Restaurant menus: Menus that aren't properly washed would make patrons run the other way if they knew what was really on them. Experts recommend never letting a menu touch your plate or silverware.

Wallets and purses: Studies have shown that paper currency can carry germs, viruses and even small amounts of illegal drugs. Men's wallets can be a breeding ground for bacteria since they tend to carry them in their pockets, which keeps them close to body temperature. Purses can pick up bacteria when they're placed on the floor.

Gas station pump handles and keypads: It's not just grease that can coat pump handles and keyboards, as studies have shown they can be ripe with bacteria. Germ gurus recommend keeping a small bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer so you can clean up after you gas up.

Laundry machines: Public laundry facilities can be teeming with germs, but even home machines can have their share. A pair of underwear has about 0.1 gram of fecal material, amounting to about 100 million E. coli bacteria in an average load. Microbiologist Charles Gerba recommends washing undergarments in very hot water and drying them for a full 45 minutes to kill more bacteria.

Salt and pepper shakers: If someone in your house has a cold, the virus could hang out here for a couple of days.

Remote controls: Often handled and rarely cleaned, these devices can harbor bacteria and viruses. For a quick clean, remove the batteries. Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or cleaner and a toothpick to clean off the gunk in the hard-to-reach places. Put alcohol or another cleaner on a cloth, and wipe it down.

Escalators: Riders can leave nasty stuff behind on rubber handrails as the grip onto them for safety. A 2003 study by the New York Daily News found significant amounts of bacteria living on rubber surfaces in the city's subway system. The same can be true for elevator buttons. Experts recommend using your elbow or knuckle instead of your fingertip to select your floor.

Cubicles: According to Environmental Health Services in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">St. Paul</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Minn.</st1:State></st1:place>, the average work desk has 21,000 germs per square inch. Even for workers who keep their areas clean, bacteria from a neighbor's uneaten food or sweaty workout clothes can crawl over the cubicle wall.

Keyboards: Have you ever shaken a keyboard upside-down and been repulsed by the pieces of food, dust and other gunk that fly out? Cleaning crews often avoid computer equipment to not risk damaging them, so those areas may be teeming with bacteria. Gerba recommends using an alcohol-based sanitizer for the job.

Fax and copy machines: The "enter" and "send" buttons on fax machines carry much higher concentrations of harmful germs than lesser used keys, according to Gerba's research. That's also the case for the "copy" button on copy machines and the handles of restroom doors. Home offices often have even higher levels of contamination because working at home can come with bad habits, such as placing your feet on your desk.

Shopping carts: Shopping carts can be covered with microbes and pathogens that can transfer to your hands and the food you choose. A 2007 study at the <st1:place w:st="on">University of Arizona</st1:place> study found that the handles of nearly two-thirds of shopping carts were contaminated with fecal bacteria. The fact that children often sit in the seat of larger carts adds to the problem. "That's putting a kid's butt where you put your broccoli".

Shower curtain: A study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that vinyl shower curtains are festering with bacteria and can breed pathogens such as infection-causing Sphingomonas and Methylobacterium.