The West Virginia Department of Health is investigating a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 41 people since early September, with five hospitalized. Patients range in age from 3 to 54. In a health advisory distributed Oct. 28, the department said it has not identified a common source and is still investigating exposures.
No cases outside West Virginia have been linked to the outbreak, which points to a local source. The strain, Salmonella Typhimurium, is one of the most commonly reported types in the U.S. and can spread through contaminated food or water or through contact with infected animals and their surroundings.
How big is the West Virginia Salmonella outbreak?
Officially, it stands at 41 cases. The real number is likely higher. Most people with mild Salmonella never see a doctor or get tested, so they never show up in official counts. Dr. Brian Huggins, health officer for the Monongalia County Health Department, made that same point about a cluster in his county a month ago, saying the true number was probably larger than the confirmed total.
That Morgantown cluster is the backstory few people are connecting. On Sept. 30, the Monongalia County Health Department announced a higher-than-normal number of Salmonella infections with no known source. By Oct. 1, it counted 16 lab-confirmed cases, a few of which required an overnight hospital stay for fluids, and no deaths. The state has not said whether those cases are part of the 41, and no county breakdown has been released.
Why is the state asking doctors for help?
The Oct. 28 notice is a health advisory, which means it is aimed at clinicians as well as the public. The department is asking that Salmonella cases be reported to local health departments within 72 hours.
Fast reporting matters because investigators trace outbreaks by interviewing patients about what they ate, where they went and which animals they touched. Every delayed report makes those memories, and that trail, harder to follow.
Is the West Virginia outbreak linked to the oyster recall?
There is no indication that it is. A separate national outbreak tied to oysters harvested from Virginia’s Little Wicomico River involves a different strain, Salmonella Telelkebir, and has been linked to 27 illnesses. West Virginia was not among the 15 states and Washington, D.C., listed as receiving the recalled oysters. State officials say no West Virginia cases have been linked to any outbreak outside the state.
What are the symptoms of Salmonella?
According to the CDC, symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover in four to seven days without treatment.
Children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face higher risk of severe illness. The CDC advises seeing a doctor for bloody diarrhea, a fever above 102 degrees, diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement, vomiting so severe you cannot keep liquids down, or signs of dehydration.
Monongalia County health officials also recommend:
- Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Cooking poultry, ground beef and eggs thoroughly.
- Keeping raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods.
What happens next in the Salmonella investigation?
Investigators will keep interviewing patients and comparing lab results, looking for a shared food, place or animal. Until they find it, the 41 confirmed cases are only the ones that made it into the count.
