A Deschutes county Oregon Salmonella outbreak is being investigated by public health officials. The only communication from the county is a Health Alert Network Advisory for healthcare providers.
Because this is not a regular outbreak announcement, we don’t know how many people are sick, if anyone has been hospitalized, the patient age range, or illness onset dates. We are given some clues in the recommendations for health care providers.
The notice asks healthcare providers to obtain a food exposure history when people present with the symptoms of a Salmonella infection. They stress two check if the patient has eaten eggs and foods containing eggs, including fresh or locally sourced eggs, if the patient has consumed raw or unpasteurized milk, has had contact with live animals such as chickens, lizards, or turtles, and specific restaurant names and dates for meals. Those are all the classic sources for Salmonella outbreaks in the past.
And a stool sample should be used for testing, especially when the patient has diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, headache, and vomiting. Those are all classic symptoms of a Salmonella food poisoning infection.
If a Salmonella infection is diagnoses, the case needs to be reported to local public health authorities, either through Deschutes County, Jefferson County, or the Oregon Health Authority.
To protect yourself and your family, learn how to cook food safely, since you are the last defense against food poisoning. And learn the symptoms of a Salmonella infection so you can get help early.
