Yesterday, July 1, the Nassau County Health Department announced that 3 county residents have been infected with Salmonella Saintpaul.
News Realease from the Nassau County Health Department,
July 1, 2008
Three Individuals with Salmonella Saintpaul Confirmed in Nassau County
The New York State Department of Health has reported three Nassau County residents with Salmonella Saintpaul. These confirmed cases are part of a multi-state outbreak which has been linked to raw tomatoes.
The first is a 28-year old man who became ill on May 24th and went to an emergency room complaining of abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. He was not hospitalized and is recovering. He works in New York City and had exposures to tomatoes in both the city and county. The second is a 26-year old woman who became ill on May 30th with similar symptoms, and has fully recovered. She did not go to a hospital. She also works in NYC and had exposures to tomatoes in both city and county. The third is a 37-year old woman who became ill on May 21st and who had been to California where she reported exposure to raw tomatoes.
At this time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising U.S. consumers to limit their tomato consumption to those that are not the likely source of this outbreak. These include cherry tomatoes; grape tomatoes; tomatoes sold with the vine still attached; tomatoes grown at home; and red plum, red Roma, and round red tomatoes from specific sources listed at: www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html. Consumers should be aware that raw tomatoes are often used in the preparation of fresh salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo, as part of fillings for tortillas, and are used in many other dishes. Consumers everywhere are advised to:
- Refrigerate within 2 hours or discard cut, peeled, or cooked tomatoes.
- Avoid purchasing bruised or damaged tomatoes and discard any that appear spoiled.
- Thoroughly wash all tomatoes under running water.
- Keep tomatoes that will be consumed raw separate from raw meats, raw seafood, and raw produce items.
- Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot water and soap when switching between types of food products.
Salmonella is a type of bacterium. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4-7 days. Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur. Infants, elderly persons and those with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness.
For information, call the Nassau County Department of Health Division of Disease Control at 516-227-9496.
For additional information about Salmonella Saintpaul, visit the FDA website at: www.fda.gov or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at: www.cdc.gov/salmonella/saintpaul/.
