Salmonella outbreak tied to cucumbers hits 31 states in the USA
In the United States, an outbreak of Salmonella has erupted, confirmed in hundreds of people. Experts warn that the number of infected individuals could be significantly higher. Many people may not have reported to a doctor, and some infected individuals may not yet have shown symptoms of the disease, making it difficult to fully assess the scale of the outbreak.
16 August 2024 14:03
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published detailed reports on the outbreak of salmonella that has affected 31 states. It was caused by contaminated cucumbers distributed by several different companies across the entire United States.
So far, hundreds of cases of infection have been confirmed, but this number might be vastly underreported. Experts point out that many infected people may not have reported to a doctor, complicating the full assessment of the scale of the problem.
Salmonella outbreak in the USA
According to information provided by ABC News, cucumbers caused Salmonella infection in exactly 449 people in 31 states in the USA. Epidemiological data points to contaminated cucumbers as the source of infections.
Through studies, the federal agency identified "many common factors," such as the places and times of the disease occurrences, the demographic profile of infected individuals, and the type of food they consumed before falling ill. These similarities helped establish that contaminated cucumbers are indeed responsible for the outbreak.
The number of infected people in this outbreak likely far exceeds the official statistics, as many people recover without medical consultation and are not tested for Salmonella. Additionally, the latest cases may not yet be reported.
Typical symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. These symptoms usually appear a few hours to six days after consuming contaminated food. In many cases, the symptoms are mild enough that those affected do not see a doctor, complicating the full assessment of the scale of the outbreak and potentially causing the number of infected individuals to be much higher than indicated by official data.