There have been eight laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella linked to a Hillsdale County, MI, festival that lasted from July 31 to Aug. 3. There were 33 probable cases. The outbreak was linked to the Reading Summer Festival Days alumni reunion dinner held on Aug. 2 for all graduates of the city’s schools. Many of the individuals who had been seen by a doctor or were hospitalized were in their 70s, reports the Hillsdale Daily News. Health officials at the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Counties Community Health Agency have narrowed the source down to two possibilities, but they are unable to identify it outright. Every year, Salmonella is estimated to cause 1 million illnesses in the United States, with 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. Salmonellosis, the illness caused by the bacteria, usually lasts four to seven days. Although most persons recover without treatment, in some people the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.
