020643 Drug-Resistant Salmonella Linked to Raw Beef

New York - Earlier this year, 47 people scattered across five different states were infected with a multidrug-resistant strain of the bacteria Salmonella, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.

Testing by the CDC found that samples of the bug, called Salmonella Newport, were resistant to at least nine different antibiotics.

People most likely caught the infections by eating raw or undercooked beef, the CDC report notes, adding that the findings underscore the importance of fully cooking ground beef and washing the hands after handling raw meat.

According to the report in the June 28th issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, between January and April 2002, 47 people between the ages of 2 and 81 were infected with multidrug-resistant Salmonella Newport. Symptoms included diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, blood-tinged stools and vomiting.

Of the 1.4 million cases of infection with Salmonella that occur each year in the US, the Newport strain is the third most common, the CDC notes.

In the current investigation, the CDC team analyzed blood and stool samples of infected individuals and interviewed them about eating raw or undercooked beef during the 3 days before their illness. Their responses were compared to those from 80 non-infected individuals.

Isolated samples of the bacteria were found to be resistant to at least nine commonly used antibiotics, according to the CDC's report. Such drug resistance or decreased susceptibility of bacteria can hamper a doctor's ability to treat Salmonella infections successfully.

No meat packing plants were identified as the source of the tainted meat.

In other findings, the CDC found that 46% of infected individuals said they had eaten raw or undercooked ground beef before getting sick, compared to only 1% of those not infected.

"Recent US surveys indicate that 11% to 28% of persons report eating raw or undercooked ground beef, and approximately one third of persons do not use safe food-handling practices to prevent cross- contamination in the kitchen," the CDC researchers write.

SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2002

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com