West Point Nebraska: Authorities are Investigating the Nebraska Salmonella Outbreak that has Sickened Nearly Two Dozen Residents
The health agencies in Nebraska are investigating the causes of an outbreak of Salmonella that has already sickened a confirmed 15 victims, with another 5 suspected at this time. The number is likely to grow once work gets out and victims present for testing.
While to source has yet been identified, the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health (ELVPH), with help from the Nebraska Department of Health (NDH), are interviewing victims in the effort to trace-back the illnesses to a common source. This concentration of salmonella illnesses is usually tied to a common food or water source, though a number of outbreaks have been linked to animal exposure. Salmonella, however, must almost always be ingested to sicken an individual. Salmonella travels through the fecal-oral route, meaning that its spread is often the result of poor personal hygiene.
EVLPH and NDH are telling people to be extra vigilant in washing their hands, especially if thy come into contact with the most vulnerable of residents, the elderly and very young. While most people will recover form salmonella food poisoning in a couple of weeks, some develop long-term and even life-long complications with reactive arthritis or post-infectious gastrointestinal problems, such as Crohn’s, IBS, or IBD. In rare cases, salmonella can be deadly.
For more information about Salmonella, or to speak to a salmonella lawyer, call 1-888-335-4901.