Edward Grothaus III, General Manager of the Abilene Country Club in Abilene, Texas, signed a letter to club members last week, stating that the Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District had identified the club as the potential source of 35 Salmonella cases reported in the Abilene area in recent weeks.
According to a report by KTXS, at least 64 confirmed cases of Salmonella have been reported to the health department. The country club is taking steps to address food safety concerns laid out in a health inspection report, KTXS reported. The club has tested staff on food safety procedures and will require food handlers to undergo food safety classes.
Salmonella infections can have a broad range of illness, from no symptoms to severe illness. The most common clinical presentation is acute gastroenteritis. Symptoms include diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, often accompanied by fever of 100°F to 102°F (38°C to 39°C). [4, 5] Other symptoms may include bloody diarrhea, vomiting, headache and body aches.
The incubation period, or the time from ingestion of the bacteria until the symptoms start, is generally 6 to 72 hours; however, there is evidence that in some situations the incubation can be longer than 10 days. [6, 7] People with salmonellosis usually recover without treatment within 3 to 7 days. [5] Nonetheless, the bacteria will continue to be present in the intestinal tract and stool for weeks after recovery of symptoms–on average, 1 month in adults and longer in children. [6]
