28 July 2023 , 23:23
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Potentially deadly outbreaks of salmonella have struck a worrying number of British holiday hotspots in recent weeks.
Salmonella, more commonly known as food poisoning, is an infection is caused by a family of bacteria that live in the gut of many birds and animals and can therefore be present in foods, leading to human gut infections.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the life-threatening bug has been spotted in the UK, US and 11 European countries over the last year - with much of the spread thought to be linked to cherry tomatoes.
An ECDPC spokesperson said: “Case interviews in Austria, Germany, France and Sweden suggested cherry-like tomatoes as a possible vehicle of infection. The outbreak strain was detected in a mixed salad dish containing cherry tomatoes among green leaf vegetables prepared on August 17, 2022, in France.
Diarrhoea can lead to severe dehydration (Getty Images/iStockphoto)“Tomatoes in the salad in France and tomatoes suspected as vehicles of the infections in Austria were traced back to wholesalers in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, and to tomato growers in the Netherlands, Spain, and Morroco.”
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While salmonella is usually treatable and hope and can pass within 24 hours, sometimes it can lead to severe dehydration through diarrhoea and sickness.
The nine key countries where salmonella has been linked to tomatoes have been named as: Germany, France, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Norway and Switzerland.
Food can be dangerous when:
- is not cooked or reheated thoroughly
- is not stored correctly – for example, it's not been frozen or chilled
- is left out for too long
- is handled by someone who's ill or has not washed their hands
- is eaten after its "use by" date
Symptoms of food poisoning include:
- feeling sick (nausea)
- diarrhoea
- being sick (vomiting)
- stomach cramps
- a high temperature of 38C or above
- feeling generally unwell – such as feeling tired or having aches and chills
The symptoms usually start within a few days of eating the food that caused the infection.
How to treat food poisoning:
- you can usually treat yourself or your child at home
- the symptoms usually pass within a week.
- the most important thing is to have lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration.
- information on when to seek medical help can be found on the NHS website here