The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with the Massachusetts Department of Health to determine the source of a multistate cluster of Salmonella illnesses, according to MyFoxBoston.com. Health officials say they will provide more information once a food source is identified.
Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning, which include fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea, usually develop between six and 72 hours of exposure and last about a week. But, in some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that hospitalization is required. For these patients, the risk of developing a more serious, sometimes fatal, infection that spreads from the intestines to the blood stream is elevated.
Each year, 1.2 million Americans are sickened by Salmonella, and 400 people die. Children under 5, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems- including pregnant women are all at high risk for Salmonella poisoning. Of all the high risk groups, children under 5 account for the largest percentage of cases.
