Which states are impacted by the salmonella outbreak? CDC says recalled eggs are the cause

In 2022, the 27 member states of the European Union reported 65,208 cases of salmonella.

That same year, more than 1.3 million cases were reported in the United States. Not only is that fact staggering because the United States population is roughly half of Europe’s, but it also shows that there are other parts of the world where the issue is being addressed to minimize the risk of the disease to the public.

Antibiotic-resistant salmonella outbreak traced to eggs sold in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning of a new salmonella outbreak after the disease was detected in eggs that have since been recalled. Salmonella may not be the most deadly disease, but it is still horrendous for many people who become infected. Diarrhea, which the CDC warns can be bloody, fever, and stomach cramps lasting anywhere between four and seven days. The disease is responsible for 26,000 hospitalizations a year and tragically takes more than 400 lives. The disease is a risk to public health, and very few people are talking about it. The most recent outbreak has already infected 65 people across nine states:

The eggs were sold to households and restaurants in Illinois (11 cases), Michigan, and Wisconsin (42 cases). The company responsible is Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC, and the label reads “Milo’s Poultry Farms” or “Tony’s Fresh Market.” It doesn’t matter the size, egg type, or expiration date, says the CDC; all eggs fall under the recall. Samples taken from the hen house and the processing facility matched the strains identified in the lab testing done by the CDC on the infected patients. What’s curious is that the European Union doesn’t regulate henhouses. It’s not because cases aren’t traced to these facilities; they just don’t. In 2019, the issue of hen houses was raised, but no actions have been taken to reduce the cases there. However, in other parts of the meat industry, there are regulations that mandate farmers to protect their livestock from salmonella, and the differences in cases between the two geographies show that they work.

What is more concerning is that twenty-four people, or 38 percent of the total cases, have had to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the disease in some patients. The increase in the severity of the illness has been linked to the fact that these strains are resistant to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, which the CDC says are “some commonly recommended antibiotics” when patients become ill. Not all cases of salmonella require antibiotics, and as these new strains are reported, it is important that they may do more harm than good in less high-risk patients.