Salmonella in the Egg Industry

Introduction

Salmonella infection or salmonellosis is one of most common bacterial infections worldwide. The salmonella germ is actually the group of bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness in humans, with more than 95 percent of cases of salmonella infection being foodborne (Schwabe 63). It is responsible for the variety of clinical syndromes, including enterocolitis, bacteremia, enteric fever (usually caused by typhoid or paratyphoid species), and severe local infections.

Animal feces are usually source of contamination, and humans consuming contaminated foods are targets of disease. Contaminated nourishment are often animal in source, such as beef, poultry, milk, or eggs. However, all nourishment, including vegetables, can become contaminated.

Most persons contaminated with salmonella evolve diarrhea, high temperature, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and disease is self-limited. However, in some, complication may arise, as severe diarrhea may be cause of hospitalization to remove dehydration (Palmer 89). Dissemination of disease to blood stream results in bacteremia and is eventually lethal unless person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have the severe illness and should, therefore, receive particular attention. Salmonella infection is responsible for 600 deaths in United States each year.

Specific lab tests are necessary to identify salmonella in stools of the infected person. Clinical diagnosis is fairly accurate, so lab test are not frequently requested. However, further testing can determine its specific type and which antibiotics could be used to treat it (Martin 47).

Salmonella and Contaminated Foods

Contaminated nourishment usually gaze and stink normal. Many raw nourishment of animal source are often contaminated, but luckily, methodical preparing food murders salmonella. Food may also become contaminated by unwashed hands of the infected food handler, who neglected hand hygiene after using bathroom. People who have salmonellosis should not prepare food or pour water for others until they have been shown to no longer be carrying salmonella bacterium (Krauss 39).

Salmonella may also be found in feces of some pets, especially those with diarrhea, and people can become infected if they do not wash their hands after contact with these animals' feces.

The biggest egg recall in U.S. history comes at the point of great consolidation in egg industry, when the shrinking number of companies produce most of eggs found on grocery shelves and the defect in one operation can jeopardize the significant segment of marketplace.

Salmonella in United States Egg Industry

For years, U.S. egg industry has been telling us that there is no connection between salmonella outbreaks and practice of cramming layer hens into cages so small birds can't lift the single wing. It's been their party line for so long they've probably started to really accept as true it. Earlier this year, premier U.S. egg industry trade group announced, true to form, that caging hens is “better for food safety” (Hubbert 19).

With more than 95 percent of all U.S. eggs currently coming from caged hens, and salmonella outbreaks sickening more than one million Americans every ...