Ground Turkey Contaminated With Salmonella Heidelberg Sickens 107 People In 31 States, CDC Update

107 people are confirmed to have become infected with Salmonella Heidelberg in 31 US states after consuming tainted ground turkey, says the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). So far one death has been reported since the outbreak began in March 2011. Cargill, the third largest producer of turkey products in the country had to recall 36 million pounds of likely contaminated ground turkey.

23 sick people were found to be infected with Salmonella Heidelberg that had a closely related PFGE pattern to that of the other 84 individuals who became ill, and have been added to the total, the CDC informed.

Inspectors and experts from federal, local and state public health authorities as well as regulatory agencies say that the consumption of ground turkey is the most likely source of this outbreak of salmonellosis.

The CDC says that although most of the recalled turkey has already been taken off the shelves of retail and wholesale outlets, there may still be some in people's homes. Americans are being asked to check for recalled ground turkey products and not to eat them.This salmonella strain is resistant to a considerable number of commonly used antibiotics, which may raise the risk of hospitalization and complications.

The number of confirmed cases by state can be seen below (source: CDC):

Texas - 14
Illinois - 13
Michigan - 12
Ohio - 10
California - 6
Pennsylvania - 5
Missouri - 4
Wisconsin - 4
Arizona - 3
Massachusetts - 3
North Carolina - 3
South Dakota - 3
Colorado - 2
Georgia - 2
Iowa - 2
Kentucky - 2
Minnesota - 2
Nebraska - 2
New York - 2
Tennessee - 2
Alabama - 1
Arkansas - 1
Indiana - 1
Kansas - 1
Louisiana - 1
Maryland - 1
Mississippi - 1
Nevada - 1
Oklahoma - 1
Oregon - 1
Utah - 1

Salmonellosis symptoms include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. They usually emerge from 12 to 72 hours after the bacterium has entered the body. The majority of people make a full recovery within four to seven days without treatment. Some individuals, however, may experience severe diarrhea and need to be admitted to hospital.

In rare cases the Salmonella can spread into the bloodstream, causing life-threatening illness. In such cases the patient needs antibiotic treatment urgently. Infants, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to complications.