The emergence and rise of Salmonella Infantis are driving a surge in antibiotic-resistant Salmonella in chicken, according to a multiyear study by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), a national public health surveillance system made up of state ad federal agencies. This study of antibiotic resistance of Salmonella samples collected from animals and poultry and meat products from 2014 to 2019 is the first multi-year Salmonella trend analysis of NARMS data to focus on samples collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS).
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Antibiotic Resistance Makes Infections Harder to Treat
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause infections that are harder to treat than those caused by bacteria that respond to antibiotics. This leads to more severe illnesses, higher medical costs, longer hospital stays, and higher death rates. The study shows a gradual increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella in both cecal (animal intestine) and product samples, with a sharp increase from 2016 to 2019. The Salmonella isolates showed a significant increase in resistance to ciprofloxacin (DSC), ceftriaxone, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Salmonella Infantis was a major contributor to the increase in MDR Salmonella in chicken during that time period.
In 2019, the Salmonella serotypes with the highest rate of antibiotic resistance in cecal and product samples showed some overlap in clinical isolates from people who got sick from eating contaminated meat and poultry.
And researchers noted that differences between cecal and product samples show how important it is to gain a better understanding of how Salmonella is affected on its journey from farm to slaughter.
The Neverending Chicken Salmonella Infantis Outbreak
in February 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ended its investigation of a deadly Salmonella Infantis outbreak linked to raw chicken products. The final notice included an unusual note that read in part: “This investigation is over. Illnesses could continue because this Salmonella strain appears to be widespread in the chicken industry.”
Two and a half years later, an investigative report from ProPublica revealed that the outbreak, linked to a multidrug-resistant strain of Salmonella Infantis, had never ended. At the time of the CDC’S February 2019 “final” report on the raw chicken outbreak, 129 cases had been reported from January 8, 2018, to January 27, 2019, and one person had died. Tests on the outbreak strain show it was resistant to multiple antibiotics.
Salmonella Lawyers with Experience
If you have been sickened by chicken that was contaminated with Salmonella Infantis and would like a free consultation with a Salmonella lawyer, please contact the Pritzker Hageman Salmonella Legal Team. Our attorneys have represented clients in every major Salmonella outbreak in the U.S. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.