Salmonella cases 'rise'

Salmonella poisoning can be fatal in rare cases

There has been a recent increase in the number of cases of food poisoning due to a strain of the salmonella bacterium, according to the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS).

The PHLS has so far identified 170 cases of the Salmonella typhimurium DT104 strain of the organism across the country during August.

This is roughly double the number in the same period last year.

Cases have occurred throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The fact that these 170 strains show resistance to exactly the same range of drugs does suggest that there may well be links between them

Dr Dr Sarah O'Brien, Public Health Laboratory Service

One patient died after developing septicaemia (blood poisoning), a rare but severe complication of salmonella infection.

Although in the vast majority of cases salmonella infection is not life-threatening, in a small minority of cases it can cause more serious complications.

Dr Sarah O'Brien, of the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, said: "Typically, cases of salmonella increase over the summer months.

"However, the fact that these 170 strains show resistance to exactly the same range of drugs does suggest that there may well be links between them.

"Ongoing surveillance will help us to establish whether this is a continuing problem, while our interviewing of the cases will help to shed light on whether there any common factors."

Common link

The PHLS is working with local public health colleagues and the Food Standards Agency, to investigate the increase in cases and to try to establish if there is a common source.

A number of victims will be asked to complete a questionnaire asking them about what they have eaten and where they have visited during the week before their illness began.

The responses to these questionnaires will be collated centrally at the PHLS and analysed to try to establish whether there are any common factors.

Laboratories and public health officials around the country have also been advised to be on the lookout for any further cases.

Like all salmonellas, this strain is contracted when people ingest the bacteria, so the key prevention strategies are

• Careful and hygienic food handling, such as washing your hands after touching raw meat or before sitting down to eat
• Keeping raw and cooked foods apart
• Ensuring that food is cooked thoroughly before it is eaten.