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Salmonellosis
Fact Sheet
- PDF
February
23, 2006
Little
Rock - The Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health (DOH) is investigating an outbreak of Salmonellosis in Bentonville, Arkansas. To date, 89 people have reported illnesses. There is a link to Sushi King Restaurant at 2501 Southeast 14th St. #3, Bentonville. The restaurant has voluntarily closed its doors. Upon first learning of the outbreak, the DOH initiated a contact investigation of potentially ill workers and the general public and worked with the restaurant to determine the source of contamination.
Salmonellosis is a bacterial infection that usually affects the intestines and occasionally the bloodstream. It is one of the more common causes of foodborne illness with several hundred cases occurring in Arkansas each year. Most cases occur in the summer months and are seen as single cases, clusters, or outbreaks. The bacteria are spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water or by contact with infected people or animals.
People exposed to the Salmonella bacteria may have diarrhea, cramping, fever, nausea, vomiting and headache. Some people may have very mild or no symptoms, but some infections can be quite serious, especially those persons with weakened immune systems such as the very young or elderly. The symptoms generally appear 12 to 36 hours after exposure.
The last date of onset of symptoms in persons eating at the restaurant reported to the DOH was February 14th. This suggests that no further transmission has taken place since the DOH intervened. Anyone that has eaten at Sushi King, become ill and has not reported illness to the Division of Health is encouraged to do so.
Dr. Joseph Bates, Deputy Director, states, “We are continuing to work with the restaurant on safe food handling practices. Education is the key to the prevention of communicable diseases. Sushi King has been cooperative in working with the Department during this outbreak.”
In 2005, 737 cases of Salmonellosis infection were reported to the Division of Health.
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