More than 50 people have been sickened in a Salmonella outbreak in Tennessee apparently stemming from a volunteer fire department fish fry fund raiser earlier this month.
Multiple media in and around Lacassas, TN, are reporting that a Sept. 10 fish fry at the Lascassas Fire Department has been identified as the likely outbreak event, but a specific food source has not been implicated. Deputy state epidemiologist John Dunn said all of the sick people he was aware of had attended the fire department event, according to reports by Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 and other media. About 400 people attended the event. Because the illnesses appear to stem from a one-night event rather than a restaurant with ongoing business or from food available through retailers, it is likely the outbreak has run its course. Salmonella infection symptoms generally develop within 72 hours of ingesting the bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anyone who attended the Sept. 10 fish fry and later developed symptoms that have not subsided should immediately seek medical attention. Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection, according to the CDC. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that victims require hospitalization. Salmonella is estimated to cause one million foodborne illnesses in the United States annually, resulting in 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths. Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 reported this outbreak marked the first time something like this has happened at a Lascassas Volunteer Fire fundraiser. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
