Personal Injury Law

CDC: Three Deaths May Be Linked To Salmonella

By Jane Akre

The deaths of two adults in Virginia, and an elderly woman in Minnesota, may be linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak that has sickened 410 nationwide.

The two in Virginia were confirmed to have salmonella when they died, though it has not been positively confirmed that the bacterial infection killed them, according to the Virginia Department of Health. No more information has been released on the two people. 

Also an elderly woman in Minnesota who lived in a nursing home had salmonella at the time of her death though it is not clear to what extent illness contributed to her death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it is likely that salmonella may have contributed to three deaths.

On Monday, the CDC raised the number of cases from 399 to 410 nationwide and added Mississippi as the 43^rd state to experience outbreaks.

A nationwide rash of salmonella cases began to appear last September 15^th and all of the cases were reported between that date and January 7. Most individuals began exhibiting symptoms after October 1.

Federal health officials are urging health care facilities, schools, hospitals, universities and restaurants to throw out King Nut peanut butter, which along with Parnell's Pride has been recalled.  The contaminated lot begins with the number "8". 

The King Nut brand is not sold retail directly to consumers.

The source of the nationwide outbreak has still not positively been attributed entirely to peanut butter.  

King Nut of Solon, Ohio, insists it only distributes its product to seven states therefore the company is not likely to be the source of the nationwide outbreak that has affected 43 states so far. Those states are Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Arizona, Idaho and New Hampshire.

Monday, Minnesota health officials positively identified the common strain of salmonella, genetically fingerprinted as the Typhimurium type, as the type connected to the nationwide strain and those found in Minnesota in 30 other cases.

Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection and the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.  Most people recover without treatment, but those with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. #

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on January 13, 2009 (boomark / email).