It’s hard to pick up any newspaper or listen to any news reports without hearing something about Salmonella and peanuts. I have many questions on how this outbreak of Salmonella could have gotten so out of hand. The long-term impact of this recent outbreak of salmonella and the Peanut Corporation of America will have a huge effect on agriculture in Georgia, especially the peanut farmers. I will even go so far as to say peanut farmers will probably need some federal assistance to keep from losing their family farms. Sadly, all because of what appears to be due to-in part-greed.
When greed clouds the judgment of those who control our food supply, it often impacts not only profits but also our health. In the case of the Peanut Corporation of America and the number of products that have been implicated the products are too numerous to list here. I recommend that you visit the FDA’s website (www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm) for a complete list of both human products and pet products that have been recalled. For those of you who do not have internet access you can call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at 1-800-CDC-INFO. This hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for product recall information. The CDC reports that 529 cases in 43 states are under investigation.
Signs and symptoms of Salmonella infection are diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that usually appear within 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness will usually last between 4 to 7 days. Most people usually recover without treatment however, severe infections can occur. High risk persons i.e., infants, elderly and people with impaired immune systems are most likely to develop severe infections and should seek the advice of their healthcare provider promptly. Severe infections can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and if not diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics death can result.
Pet owners can find a searchable list of all the food products recalled at: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm#PetFood Signs and symptoms of Salmonella infections in pets are lethargy, fever, vomiting and diarrhea or bloody diarrhea. Some pets may only suffer from decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. It is possible for animals to be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed a recalled product and has these symptoms, contact your veterinarian.
It is important to note that hand washing, kitchen cleanliness, and information are your best bets for protecting your health. I cannot stress enough the importance that simple hand washing plays in disease prevention and overall good health. Hand washing is the single most important disease prevention intervention you can take. So, I suggest these simple hand washing instructions to help protect you and your family.
• Wet hands with running water, place soap in palms; rub together to make a lather, scrub hands vigorously for 20 seconds (about the amount of time it takes to sing the A, B, C’s) before rinsing soap off hands.
• If possible, turn off the faucet by using a disposable paper towel.
• Dry hands with a disposable paper towel. Do not dry hands on clothing.
Howard Baker, RN BSN
For questions, comments, or suggestions on topics you want to read about please email me at: letters@ubiquitousnurse.com
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