A raw pet food Salmonella outbreak in Canada has sickened at least 40 people. Public Health Canada describes the pathogen as “extensively drug-resistant,” which means it is much more difficult to treat illnesses caused by this bacteria. The outbreak is also linked to contact with cattle.
Cattle and other ruminant animals can harbor pathogens in their guts. The bacteria is excreted in their feces, and can contaminate their coats and anything in their environment. When theses animals are slaughtered, the bacteria contaminates the meat. And when the meat is ground, the bacteria are mixed through it.
Many of the patients are children five years old or younger. Younger children are at risk for more serious complications from any food poisoning infection.
Some of the patients reported exposure to raw pet food, or to dogs who were fed raw pet food, before they got sick. A single common supplier of raw pet food has not been identified. And contact with cattle, particularly calves, is a likely source for some of these illnesses.
As of November 11, 2023 there are 40 confirmed cases of XDR (extensively drug resistant) Salmonella in Canada. The case count by provinces is: Manitoba (1), Ontario (14), Quebec (21), New Brunswick (1), Nova Scotia (2), and Prince Edward Island (1). Illness onset dates are between July 2020 and September 2023. Thirteen patients have been hospitalized. The patient age range is between 0 and 91 years of age. About 43% of the patients are children under the age of five.
The Salmonella strain associated with this outbreak is extensively drug-resistant, which means it is resistant to all commonly recommended antibiotics. Those antibiotics include ceftriaxone, azithromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, and ciprofloxacin. And the strain is resistant to older antibiotics, including aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline.
Public Health Canada does not recommend feeding raw pet food to pets, especially if household members have compromised immune systems, or if there are young children in the household. Animals fed raw meat diets are more likely to excrete these pathogens in their feces. It is, however, possible for even dry kibble to be contaminated. There is a current Salmonella outbreak in the United States linked to dry dog food that has sickened at least seven people, mostly children under the age of one.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually begin 12 to 72 hours after exposure. Most people suffer from a fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody.
