Danish officials are trying to find the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 14 people in a month.
Between Aug. 15 and Sept. 16, more than a dozen cases with the same type of Salmonella Typhimurium have been registered at the Statens Serum Institut.
Patients are seven men and seven women aged between 4 and 84 years old, with a median age of 61. Ten cases were reported in one week. Six sick people live in Midtjylland, five in Hovedstaden and three in Syddanmark.
The Statens Serum Institut (SSI), Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) and DTU Food Institute are investigating the outbreak.
SSI is interviewing patients about their food consumption history before illness to identify a possible source of infection.
Whole genome sequencing of bacteria isolated from patients showed samples were very closely related and all belonged to sequence type 36.
About Salmonella
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.
Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.
Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.
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