Forty one people who attended the Reading Summer Festival between July 31 and August 3 contracted Salmonella infections, according to the Hillsdale Daily News. There were eight laboratory confirmed cases and 33 probable cases associated with the food served at the county fair on Michigan’s southern border.
Health authorities have not identified the food source because notifications of illness began nine days after the festival and there weren’t many leftovers to test.
Many of those who were sickened were in their seventies. Seniors, children and those with compromised immune systems are at special risk for Salmonella poisoning which causes fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually develop within 12 to 72 hours of exposure and can last up to a week. In some cases, a serious, sometimes life-threatening condition can develop when the infection moves from the intestines to the bloodstream.
Salmonella is the most common foodborne pathogen in the U.S., sickening about 1.2 million Americans every year. It is often associated with poultry and eggs but Salmonella outbreaks have also been linked to meat, fruits and vegetables.
