It is estimated by the Public Health Service Centers for Disease Control, that there are approximately 76 million food-borne illnesses in the United States each year. Of these, about 325,000 result in hospitalization, and there are approximately 5,000 deaths. These figures may seem somewhat startling, but when you consider that we have somewhere around 280 billion occurrences of eating each year, the number of food-borne illnesses, while serious, is low.

Most of us have become familiar with some of the food-borne pathogens that cause illness: This month, we are going to take a closer look at Salmonella, a frequent source of food-borne illness.

WHAT IS SALMONELLA?

The salmonella germ is actually a group of bacteria causing diarrheal illness in humans. The germ lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals, birds and reptiles. It can be transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces or by the unwashed hands of an infected food handler who forgot to wash his or her hands with soap after using the bathroom.

One form of Salmonella is called Salmonella Enteritidis and may be present in eggs. Unfortunately, the illness infects the ovaries of healthy-appearing hens, and the egg is contaminated before the shell is formed, so just washing the egg thoroughly does not provide

protection from the illness. The infected hen may lay many normal eggs and only occasionally lay one that is contaminated.

Being ill with any form of Salmonella is called Salmonellosis. Symptoms of illness include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting and generally occur within 12 to 72 hours of eating the contaminated food. The very young, the very old, and persons with compromised immune systems are more at risk. The illness usually lasts 4 - 7 days, but can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream producing the most severe form of the illness. Salmonella illnesses can be treated with antibiotics, but some forms of Salmonella are becoming resistant to drugs, largely as a result of the use of antibiotics to promote the growth of feed animals.

HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY?

• Thorough cooking of eggs, poultry and ground beef are essential. Ground beef and poultry that still have pink areas inside, and eggs that are runny are a source of Salmonella infection.
   

• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating, especially if they are to be eaten raw.
   

• Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water after using the toilet, handling raw meat, poultry or eggs, handling birds, reptiles (including turtles) or having contact with pet feces.