Most people fell ill in Great Britain (600), the Netherlands (300) and Belgium, where almost 200 fell ill. Two people died – one in Hungary, the other (a 5-year-old child) in Croatia. Salmonella poisoning has occurred in 18 countries.
- Almost 1500 people in 18 European countries got poisoned with salmonella after consuming eggs from Poland. All poisonings took place between 2012 and 2018. Two people died
- Due to the delay in reporting, we may not yet know about all poisonings that occurred during and immediately after this year’s vacation
- How to Avoid Salmonella Poisoning? Is it safe to eat only “hard-boiled” eggs and those “soft” should we avoid? – we ask dr. Tomasz Ozorowski, microbiologist and president of the Association of Hospital Epidemiology
It is known for sure that 1500 people poisoned with salmonella from Polish eggs in the years 2012 – 2018. And that it happened in 18 countries. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) concluded that most cases were reported during the summer months, and due to reporting delays, additional cases may have occurred in recent months. The epidemic affected 15 countries, including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Croatia, Finland and Greece.
In the course of the research, it was found that eggs from Poland were the source of the infections. Despite the introduction of security controls, new outbreaks were reported in 2017 and 2018. All contaminated Polish eggs were packed in the same three plants belonging to the Polish consortium. They came from 52 farms keeping laying hens. Salmonella enteritidis was found in 18 of them.
As part of control measures, Poland has banned the sale of table eggs from farms from which a salmonella infection may have spread – the decision is valid until monitoring shows no bacteria.
What is salmonella?
Salmonella bacteria live in the intestines of animals and do not harm them at all. However, for humans, they can even be deadly. 95 percent cases of infection are carried out by eating poultry meat, eggs, especially raw, unpasteurized milk and its products. Less often, their source is contact with animals or a sick person. Salmonellosis manifests as diarrhea and vomiting. May be dehydrated, which may require treatment in a hospital.
Salmonella in the refrigerator
Salmonella bacteria feel good in the refrigerator and in the freezer, therefore the prophylaxis is cooking, frying or baking. When cooking eggs, make sure that both the egg white and the yolk are cut. Ideally, scrambled eggs and fried eggs should also be cut. After cooking such dishes, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Dishes, accessories and surfaces in contact with raw eggs should be thoroughly cleaned with detergents. Do not use the same plates or cutlery that have been in contact with raw eggs. A study conducted a few years ago by the Children’s Memorial Health Institute and the Detto company showed that kitchen countertops in our homes are sometimes dirtier than trolley handles in supermarkets, money, and even handrails in trams, buses and trains.
Steamed eggs
In March this year. Several dozen children were poisoned in one of the kindergartens in Chotomów. Some of them ended up in the hospital. Sanitary inspection showed that salmonella was present in the egg paste and meat croquettes. According to the data published by the Department of Epidemiology of the NIPH-NIH, in Poland for many years Salmonella spp. Has been the most common cause of gastrointestinal infections. Eggs can be one of the sources. Therefore, when buying them, you should always make sure that the shells are clean and undamaged. They should be stored in the refrigerator in the original packaging, in line with the expiry date. Children, the sick and the elderly should avoid dishes that contain raw eggs such as tartare, tiramisu, mayonnaise, hollandaise sauces, kogel-mogel and ice cream.
Is it safe to eat only hard-boiled eggs, and those that should be avoided? – Cooking kills salmonella – says Dr. Tomasz Ozorowski, microbiologist, president of the Association of Hospital Epidemiology.
However, food is not always contaminated. After the wedding, which took place in Sokołów Podlaski on May 6, this year, several dozen people were sent to hospitals all over Poland with ailments related to the gastrointestinal tract. Salmonella turned out to be the reason. The obtained results of the food tests indicated, however, that it was not the food that was the cause of the poisoning. On the other hand, Salmonella enteritidis, which was also found in wedding participants, was detected in two of the staff. Therefore, it is important to remember that washing your hands for at least 20 seconds reduces the incidence of diarrhea by half. Meanwhile, most of us spend only 5 seconds on it.
Washing hands, but also drying
Water alone is not enough to wash your hands, always use soap. When we are away from home, e.g. on a walk, on a bus or elsewhere, we can use a gel preparation or use a hand disinfectant. It is enough to rub them well into your hands to get rid of dangerous intruders. Microbes stick to wet hands more easily than dry hands, so it is very important to dry your hands thoroughly after washing them. Researchers from the University of Bradford in the UK have shown that it is more effective to wipe your hands with a paper towel than to use a dryer. It takes about 20 seconds to dry your hands with a paper towel. The effective use of a dryer takes twice as long, which is why many people do not dry their hands.
As for the 1500 poisonings in Europe with salmonella from Polish eggs, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control says that similar infections on a large scale may affect more countries where the so-called molecular typing for salmonella is not routinely performed in patients admitted to hospitals with poisoning, eg Bulgaria, Cyprus and Portugal.
Source: Food Safety News, MedTvoiLokony