Four Georgians have been sickened and two have been hospitalized by the Salmonella outbreak that has stricken 100 people in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Three of the patients with confirmed cases of infection from the outbreak strain Salmonella Bareilly are from Fulton County and one is from Cobb County, according to officials at the Georgia Department of Public Health (GPPH). All four patents are male and range in age from 30-61. Their illness occurred between February 11 and March 18, 2012.
GDPH epidemiologists are working with federal officials to interview patients and determine a source for the outbreak which has not yet been identified.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include fever, diarrhea (which can sometimes be bloody), vomiting, and abdominal cramps which typically develop six to 72 hours after infection and last four to seven days. In some cases, hospitalization is required. Health officials urge anyone who develops these symptoms to seek medical attention.
