Over 100 People Sick After Eating At Taste Of Chicago Booth

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Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Nutrition / Diet;  Public Health
Article Date: 14 Jul 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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At least 126 people have become infected after eating at the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth at the Taste of Chicago food festival, says the Department of Health, Chicago. According to Tim Hadac, of the Chicago Health Department, nine of them were infected with salmonella bacteria. The Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth served a cucumber salad over hummus.

Ten people were sent to hospital. A young boy is still undergoing treatment, said Tim Hadac.

Reports of salmonella infection started to come in on Monday morning. By the end of the day officials found that the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth was the common link.

Authorities are fairly sure that tainted hummus is to blame. Chicago health officials say that the owners of the booth are working closely with them.

Mike Bamboyani, owner of the Pars Cove said "One case is too many. We are taking all the steps that we can."

There are over one million reported cases of salmonella poisoning in the USA each year, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The real total is probably much higher, because salmonella poisoning symptoms are often mistaken for other illnesses, such as flu.

What is Hummus?

It is a paste made ground chickpeas, sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. The paste has a similar texture to peanut butter. It is a middle-eastern dish. The Arabic word Hummus can also mean just chickpeas by themselves.

What is salmonella?

salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness in people. They are living creatures which pass from the feces of animals or people to other animals or people. In the USA the most common types are salmonella serotype Typhimurium and salmonella serotype Enteritidis.

Who discovered salmonella?

salmonella is named after Daniel Elmer Salmon (1850-1914), an American scientist. Although he claimed the credit for discovering the bacteria, his colleague, Theobald Smith actually discovered it.

What is salmonellosis?

This is an infection with the salmonella bacteria. Most infected people develop fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear 12-72 hours after infection. The illness, which usually lasts from 4 to seven days, generally does not require treatment - the patient will usually recover on his/her own.

However, if the diarrhea is severe the patient may need to be hospitalized. Salmonellosis can be very dangerous if the infection spreads into the blood stream and other body sites. Those most likely to experience severe illness are the elderly, babies and people with weakened immune systems.

Protect Against salmonella (pdf)
Journal of the American Medical Association

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
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