COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Health is participating in a multi-state investigation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to try to identify the source for an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium.
Second in nation
Ohio ranks second in the nation for number of cases with 50 identified among Ohio residents.
Cases, some of which date back to October 2008, match each other by their DNA fingerprint, and thus appear to have a common origin.
Protect yourself
There are several simple steps you can take to protect yourself, according to Department of Health Director Alvin D. Jackson, M.D.
They include taking care when handling raw meat, washing hands between food preparation and tending to infants or small children, cooking meat dishes thoroughly and not eating raw or undercooked meat.
Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.
Many different kinds
There are many different kinds of Salmonella bacteria. Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis are the most common in the U.S.
Salmonella germs have been known to cause illness for more than 100 years.
More information
More information about salmonellosis can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/salmonellosis_gi.html#7.
