Chicken resistant to antibiotics infects 92 people in 29 states
A strain of food poisoning that is resistant to multiple antibiotics has caused 92 people in 29 states to become ill with salmonella linked to raw chicken products. Twenty-one of those people have been hospitalized. The number of sick and hospitalized is expected to increase as more cases are reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health officials in several states are investigating the multidrug-resistant salmonella infections. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) is monitoring the outbreak.
The specific source of the infections has not been found. Investigations have determined that many types of raw chicken products from a variety of sources are contaminated with Salmonella Infantis and are making people sick. People who became ill have reported eating different types and brands of chicken products that they had purchased from different locations. Samples taken from raw chicken pet food, raw chicken products, and live chickens have tested positive for the multidrug-resistant salmonella strain.
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12 to 72 hours after being exposed to the bacteria. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. In some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other places in the body.
Food safety procedures must be followed by retailers and by consumers. You should always thoroughly wash your hands as well as any surfaces that may have come in contact with raw chicken. The chicken must be cooked properly to avoid illness.
For more information about the multidrug-resistant salmonella infections linked to raw chicken products, contact the food poisoning lawyers at 1-888-335-4901.
