The epidemiologists in the Arizona Department of Health Services’ Office of Infectious Disease Services have been working with local and federal public health partners on an outbreak investigation of a rare strain of Salmonella, called Salmonella Paratyphi B, according to the Department’s director, Dr. Cara M. Christ.
According to Christ, most ill people in Maricopa County report eating sushi containing raw minced or ground tuna at restaurants. As of May 20, there are 51 cases nationally and 10 cases in Arizona linked to this outbreak.
Epidemiologists, environmental health specialists, communicable disease investigators, and laboratory scientists, not only at ADHS, but also with our county public health partners and public health agencies throughout the country are collaborating on the investigation of the matter.
According to Christ, once the Department is notified that someone has Salmonella, a disease investigator contacts the person to ask about food, animals, and other exposures. State Public Health Laboratory scientists analyze Salmonella specimens using DNA fingerprinting, allowing public health officials to link people from separate households (locally and nationwide) whose Salmonella DNA fingerprints were a match. This match tells scientists that the individuals likely got sick from the same source, triggering an outbreak investigation as in this case.
The outbreak investigation is ongoing, and ADHS is continuing to interview ill people to gather more information about foods they might have eaten during the week before they got sick.
People who are at high risk for getting sick from Salmonella should not eat foods containing raw fish, reports Christ. This includes pregnant women, people who are 65 or older, children under 5, and people with weakened immune systems. Christ is advising people who have symptoms of Salmonella should see their health care provider.