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Foodborne Illness

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What is the infectious agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? For example, the name of the bacteria, virus, or parasite.
The foodborne illness I choose was Salmonella. Salmonella is a bacteria that causes an infection known as Salmonellosis. A person that is infected with Salmonella gets diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after being infected. Salmonella usually last four to seven days and most people recover without treatment. People with severe diarrhea must be hospitalized. The Salmonella can spread in from the intestines to the bloodstream and other parts of the body and can cause death of not treated quickly with antibiotics. People with a weak immune system, elderly, and infants are more likely to have a severe reaction to the illness.

How is this infectious agent transmitted through food or water?
Salmonella is spread through food and water by under cooking food and cross contamination. It is present in uncooked meat and on eggs. So when eggs and meats are not cooked properly the bacteria can survive and infect the people who eat it. When you cook the food thoroughly it will kill Salmonella bacteria. Cross contamination is when the bacteria spreads from something that has the bacteria to something that does not. When people use cutting boards, mixers and other kitchen equipment for foods with Salmonella and then use those same equipment for ready to serve food without properly cleaning them can spread the bacteria.

What is an example of a real life outbreak of this foodborne illness in the United States?
An example of an outbreak of Salmonella in the U.S is the outbreak that occurred November 1, 2010 through February 9, 2011. 140 people in 26 states and the District of Columbia were infected in the outbreak whom illness began November 1. The ages of the outbreak range from 1 to 85 years old and 87 of them were

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