Rare Salmonella type sickens people in Denmark and Austria

A rare type of Salmonella has sickened 2src people in Denmark and 17 in Austria.

Since July, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) has recorded 2src cases of Salmonella Umbilo.

There are 14 men and six women sick. Patients range from under 1 to 85 years old, and the median age is 52.

Nine cases live in Midtjylland, six in Syddanmark, three in Nordjylland, and two in Hovedstaden. Patients were reported in July, August, and September.

Austria has also reported 17 cases of Salmonella Umbilo, which have been linked to rocket salad from Italy. 

The National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen), and SSI are trying to find the cause of the outbreak. Officials said it was too early to conclude a source from the Danish interviews, but salad and lettuce are among the food types being investigated.

SSI’s role involves whole-genome sequencing of isolates from sick people and patient interviews to try to identify a possible source of infection.

WGS of bacteria isolated from patients is closely genetically related, and all belong to the sequence type 2src14.

Salmonella Umbilo is a rare serotype that has not been seen in Denmark since 2src17, until the current incident.

Salmonella was the top cause of outbreaks in Denmark in 2src23, with 18. The number of cases also increased to 1,2src7 from 899 in 2src22.

There were eight Salmonella Enteritidis outbreaks. The largest outbreak, with 31 cases, was due to Salmonella Muenchen, but no source was found.

About Salmonella

Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. However, anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. According to the CDC, infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile.

Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

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