Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleSix salmonella cases under investigation in Las Vegas
Unknown whether local infection linked to national outbreak
Published Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 | 6:15 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009 | 11:50 a.m.
Beyond the Sun
More coverage
Six cases of salmonella food poisoning are under investigation in Las Vegas, but whether these are linked to a national outbreak is unknown, health officials said.
A total of seven salmonella cases are under investigation in Nevada.
Health officials from federal, state and local districts are trying to determine the source of the particular strain that has affected 388 people in 42 states, including Nevada.
The six cases here are the same strain as the one causing the national outbreak, said Stephanie Bethel, spokeswoman for the Southern Nevada Health District.
But Salmonella typhimurium is a common type of the bacteria and can be spread through contaminated food and even pet turtles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
"At this time, we do not know if it is linked to the national outbreak," Bethel said.
Nevada State Health Division spokeswoman Martha Framsted said today that there has been one confirmed case of the illness in northern Nevada.
Health officials in Ohio said Wednesday that about 50 people in that state have been stricken with the illnesses, which causes diarrhea, vomiting and is usually resolved without medical intervention. However, the elderly, babies, young children and those with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for a more severe illness.
The Centers for Disease Control reported Wednesday that 70 people had been hospitalized in the outbreak. The outbreak began in September. The Department of Agriculture,, state health officials and the Food and Drug Administration are involved in the investigation to try and determine the source of the illness.
The CDC said poultry, cheese and eggs are prime suspects in this particular strain of salmonella. Health investigators trying to trace the source of the salmonella find it hard to pinpoint because people don't remember all the foods they eat or know all the ingredients.
Recent outbreaks in the United States have been tied to peppers from Mexico, affecting 1,400 people from April to August 2007 and an E. coli epidemic in 2006 which was traced to California spinach and killed three.
Salmonella that contaminated dry pet food sickened at least 79 people in 2007. Most of the cases involved younger children who may have handled or put contaminated dog food into their mouths. Failing to wash hands after handling such dry dog food could spread salmonella to people, the CDC said.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- UNLV can move forward without the burden of losing streak to San Diego State
- A wife’s wisdom shows birth control issue needn’t be divisive
- Motorcycle accident claims life of man in northeast valley
- Surprise links, negotiated deals addressed by commissioners
- Hope and change and … what’s missing?
- New York mayor has the right idea
- We don’t need a CEO in charge
- Paying our own way
- Country has ‘given’ citizens a lot
- Jerry Tarkanian: Mike Moser impresses yet again on a day to remember former Rebel greats
Blogs
The Kats Report
Color from scene at Thomas & Mack: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
South Point owner Michael Gaughan's take on 'Vegas Stripped': 'I'll give it an 8' (4 Comments)
Author relishes writing the life story of ‘larger-than-life’ Oscar Goodman (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Landowner: All roads could lead to Uxbridge casino
Revel reveals smoke-free casino opening
Cirque du Soleil show in Sands China casino to close this month
Meet the woman behind Sheldon Adelson
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Ok so there's been 388 cases in four months nationwide. That translates into 1.9 cases a month in each state. That's not an "outbreak". Food poisoning is very common and happens in the home more than people realize. You're more likely to be killed on interstate 15 driving to work by someone talking on their cell phone than to get sick in a restaurant. With these kinds of numbers is the term "outbreak" really relevant? There are nearly two million people in the Greater Las Vegas area. If there's only been 7 cases of Salmonella lately wouldn't it make sense that these are probably routine illnesses and not part of some diabolical epidemic that threatens to sweep through town?
@bbrummel
"You're more likely to be killed on interstate 15 driving to work by someone talking on their cell phone than to get sick in a restaurant."
Care to back that up with some stats?
"is the term "outbreak" really relevant?" Yes it is when speaking about a national trend. "Outbreak" was never used to refer to the number in Nevada.
Would you prefer to just sweep this information under the rug than report it?
Granted it is nothing to get too excited about here at this time, but wouldn't it be better to just file this information into the back of your head in case it does become more widespread? It's not as if Mary Manning is shouting about not buying eggs because of the possibility (I missed TV "news" tonight, so they might have done it instead and that was what got you all worked up).
@bbrummel
I forgot one other point of contention:
"Ok so there's been 388 cases in four months nationwide. That translates into 1.9 cases a month in each state."
You apparently did not take science or you flunked it. And you never took statistics. Way too many variables for your macro view of the situation.
Oh, also, "there's" should be "there have." Are you another proud product of the Clark County School District?
Well well well...who's getting worked up? I was merely making a point. However since you asked, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were over 31,000 fatalities between January and October of 2008 nationwide. Since no one has died from this latest "outbreak", it's safe to say that you're more likely to die in a car accident than from food poisoning during this latest epidemic. Forgive me for using hyperbole and making a point about sensationalism in the press and also forgive me for a typo. And so, Mr. Science, since you apparently are a math wiz why don't you share with us what those numbers do in fact mean? I won't even address your bombastic statment about the Clark County education system, which clearly shows some other deep-seeded resentment that has nothing to do with my original comments.
P.S. I'm not proofreading this as I know you will point out any errors.