A salmonella Heidelberg outbreak from an undisclosed turkey ground meat production company has resulted in one death and 76 illnesses nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Salmonella poisoning usually results in diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps during the 12 to 72 hours after a contaminated item is consumed, and symptoms will last for four to seven days, according to the CDC.
Salmonella Heidelberg is a strain that has antibiotic resistance and illness from the strain is often difficult to treat.
Twenty-two people have been hospitalized. Victims from lllinois cases range from a 3-year-old to a 60-year-old. The Illinois Department of Public Health reports cases have occurred in Oak Park and Cass County, DuPage County, Madison County, Peoria County, County Will and Williamson County.
The states with the highest number of victims were Michigan and Ohio, 10 illnesses each, Texas with nine illnesses, Illinois with seven, California six and Pennsylvania five.
Between one and three illnesses were reported in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
The CDC has not recommended avoiding turkey meat, but safe handling is advised …
Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase, one hour if temperatures in the house exceed 90 F.
Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry.
The CDC says some salmonella bacteria have become drug-resistant because of antibiotics used to promote livestock growth.