Three major outbreaks linked to imported eggs have killed two people and infected nearly 500 people with salmonella, health officials say.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported 207 confirmed cases and one death from this outbreak last week. That has now risen to 259 as of August 25 – an increase of 25 percent in the past month.
Investigations are underway but health chiefs believe imported eggs are the likely culprit of the crisiswith two new clusters bringing the total to 474 since the most recent official count last week.
British cases have so far been linked to eating out “from small cafes, restaurants and takeaways”, the UKHSA said.
Salmonella cases are also observed in seven other European countries – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands – with public health officials scrambling to determine the exact source.
Although the UKHSA has identified a ‘link to imported eggs’, Dutch health officials have investigated chicken products as a possible source of infection.
TThe extensive risks of salmonella include stomach cramps, diarrhea, severe dehydration, blood poisoning, organ failure and even death.
Vulnerable groups – including the over-65s, pregnant women and children under the age of five – are advised to avoid runny eggs when eating out.
Salmonella infections are up 25 percent on previous figures, with many infections likely occurring in recent weeks
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said there was no evidence that eggs produced in the UK were affected, but urged anyone handling eggs, eggshells or packaging to wash their hands thoroughly in a bid to stop the spread.
Salmonella is typically caught by eating contaminated foods, such as poultry, meat, eggs, raw fruits and vegetables, and unpasteurized dairy products.
It usually causes symptoms such as fever and vomiting, which disappear within a few days. In rare cases, the disease can be fatal, with infants, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems most at risk.
More than a third (38 percent) of confirmed salmonella patients in Britain – including babies and others up to 92 years old – required hospital treatment.
In two cases, the bacteria escaped from the intestines and entered the bloodstream – a potentially life-threatening complication.
Most cases have been recorded in recent weeks and months, but the samples date back to August last year. The majority are in England, with London, Yorkshire and the Humber worst affected.
However, health officials maintain that the risk to the general public from salmonella remains low.
Hannah Charles, chief epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘We continue to work with the FSA and other public health authorities to investigate these salmonella clusters in Britain. It is important to emphasize that the overall risk to the general public remains low.
‘Our investigation to date points to a link with imported eggs, but this investigation is ongoing. We will continue to monitor the cases and investigate further common sources as they come to light.”
Professor Ian Young, the FSA’s chief safety adviser, added that the safety advice remains the same: ‘Eggs that are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not pose a food safety risk.’
Commercial chickens that produce eggs sold in British supermarkets have been vaccinated against the most common types of salmonella, making an outbreak unlikely in Britain.
Despite this, salmonella cases are increasing in Britain. Last year there were 10,406 recorded cases – a decade high.
Experts agree that it is crucial not to dismiss salmonella as “just food poisoning.”
When salmonella – bacteria that can live in the intestines of farm animals – breach the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream, it causes bacteremia, bacteria in the blood that can lead to life-threatening complications.
Those most at risk include people with weakened immune systems, children under five and adults over 65.
One of the biggest dangers once salmonella reaches the bloodstream is sepsis – when the body’s response to infection begins to damage its own tissues and organs.
It affects 245,000 Britons and kills almost 50,000 people a year, and can cause dangerously low blood pressure, multi-organ failure and death.
Warning signs include confusion, extreme chills, severe shortness of breath, little or no urination, and mottled or bluish skin. An overwhelming sense of ‘impending doom’ can also be a warning sign.
Sepsis requires urgent hospital treatment with antibiotics and, where necessary, intravenous fluids and oxygen. Severe cases may require intensive care.
