Nanci Bompey • NBompey@CITIZEN-TIMES.com
August
8, 2008 11:11 am
Source of Article: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880808030
The people all got sick and visited
Mission Hospitals in late July, prompting the health department to launch an
investigation this week.
"We are conducting interviews will
the ill persons to see if there's anything they have in common," said
Eddie Shook, program coordinator for community protection and preparedness at
the
Shook said one restaurant is part of the
investigation, along with other possible sources of the bacteria including
foods from a common distributor.
He said the strain of bacteria that has
sickened the three people is not the same strain of salmonella that has caused a outbreak nationwide.
Shook said it is common for the people
to be sickened by salmonella during the summer months, when people have more
picnics and cookouts.
Salmonella is often spread through
undercooked animal products, especially chicken, or improper handwashing or food handling.
Shook said there were 40 cases of
salmonella in
He said he did not know how many of
those cases were investigated. An investigation is usually prompted by cases
that occur within the same time frame.
"You want to make sure there is not
a common thread going on there," Shook said.
He said investigators could not rule out
that there will be no more related cases, but that they are reaching a point
where additional cases would be too far outside a reasonable time frame to be
related.
People infected with the bacteria typcially exhibit symptoms within six-72 hours, he said.
"Time is on our side," Shook
said.
The majority of investigations do not
result in a source being found, he said. With that in mind, Shook said people
should take the following precautions:
• people should
not eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat.
• produce
should be washed.
• Uncooked meats should be kept separate
from produce, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods. Hands, cutting boards,
counters, knives, and other utensils should be washed thoroughly after touching
uncooked foods.
• Hands should be washed before handling
food, and between handling different food items.
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