(WXYZ) — Eggs sold in Michigan are linked to a multistate salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 65 people. Twenty-four have been hospitalized.
Health officials say the outbreak may be tough to treat with common antibiotics.
The eggs are from Poultry Farms LLC. They were sold under Milo's Poultry Farms or Tony's Fresh Market. These eggs were sold not just in Michigan but also in Illinois and Wisconsin.
However, people have also fallen ill in six other states: California, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Utah and Virginia. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported.
Now, most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea fever, and stomach cramps that can last about four to seven days. If you’re a healthy individual, you’ll most likely recover without treatment. But in some cases, the illness can become severe or the bacteria can spread beyond the intestines, and it’s these people who are more likely to need antibiotics.
As for antibiotic resistance, lab tests show that the salmonella in this outbreak is resistant to two commonly used antibiotics: nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin. Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance can happen when bacteria, like salmonella, adapt to the drugs meant to kill them. So, they survive and multiply.
Now, we know that salmonella’s resistance to key antibiotics has increased, which can make treatment more challenging and limited. However, in this outbreak, people who are seriously sick could potentially be treated with other antibiotics to help fight the infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people should not eat the recalled eggs. Instead, either throw them out or return them to the store. Also, be sure to wash any surfaces or items that touched the eggs. Use hot water and soap or run them through the dishwasher if you can.
If you think you have a salmonella infection, you should call a doctor if you experience any of the following:
- Severe diarrhea that lasts more than three days
- A high fever over 102°F
- Blood in your stool
- Signs of dehydration, like dry mouth, dizziness or not urinating much
Those most at risk of serious illness are people with weakened immune systems, those 65 and older, anyone over 50 with health issues like heart disease and young children under 12 months. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to a health care professional.
