(RxWiki News) An outbreak of salmonella linked to ground beef has made 16 people sick in five states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
None of the sick people have died, but seven of them have been hospitalized. The majority of cases occurred in Michigan, and the outbreak has led to meat recalls at two companies.
The CDC reminded consumers that they should not eat raw or undercooked ground beef.
"Don't eat raw or undercooked beef."
Salmonella Typhimurium is a bacteria that can live in raw meats and can cause severe illness in people.
Jouni Meats, Inc. recalled approximately 500 pounds of ground beef products, and Gab Halal Foods has recalled approximately 550 pounds of ground beef products.
Both retailers had supplied beef to a restaurant where seven people became ill after consuming raw beef.
People infected with salmonella will generally experience diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramping about 12 hours to 3 days after becoming infected.
Most of the time, illness will last four to seven days and individuals will recover on their own, but some people may experience such severe diarrhea that hospitalization is necessary.
A salmonella infection can also cause death if it spreads to other parts of the body and the person does not receive antibiotics.
Michigan has had nine cases of salmonella, followed by three in Wisconsin and two in Illinois. Arizona and Iowa each have had one case.
These individuals became sick between December 9, 2012 and January 7, 2013, and they range in age from 2 to 87 years old. So far, the strain of salmonella they have appears to be treatable with antibiotics.
The report of the infections was published on the CDC website.
