Salmonella infection detected in 241 tourists returning from Turkey since beginning 2023

The United Kingdom Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) announced that salmonella (tipo, paratyphoid) infection had been detected in 241 people returning from Turkey since the beginning of 2023. Salmonella, which is one of the diarrheal diseases transmitted by food, indicates that nutrients are prepared and stored in unsanitary conditions.

The agency explained that the findings pointed to a common source of infection. He warned the citizens who would travel, against diseases that could be transmitted by food and water.

“ALL INCLUSIVE” PACKAGE VACATION

According to the FSN website, which also publishes news about food safety in the United Kingdom, UKHSA confirmed that the diarrhea in holidaymakers returning from Antalya had been caused by salmonella. In the majority of cases, samples were taken at the end of April.

According to the same news, more than 130 holidaymakers, 50 of them children, who were vacationing at the R….. Hotel in Antalya earlier in the year and fell ill in Turkey, took steps to file a lawsuit

2 THOUSAND SUBTYPES OF SALMONELLA CAN MAKE SICK

Salmonella is a bacterium in the enterobacteriaceae family. About 2 thousand subtypes cause disease in humans.

Drinking and using contaminated (bacteria-infected) waters whose source is unknown, failure to properly dispose of human and animal waste and their mixing with spring waters, insufficient chlorination of drinking and drinking waters, consumption of foods such as meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, unpasteurized milk, cheese, contaminated raw vegetables and fruits, spices and cookies, sick poultry, or contact of food with pets such as birds and chicks and in cases they are not well cooked, it can be transmitted if hygiene rules are not followed (hands are not washed well). Bacteria can also be passed from sick people to other people.

About 12-72 hours after the entry of salmonella bacteria into the body, symptoms of the disease appear in the form of diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. In some people, diarrhea may be severe enough to require hospitalization of the patient. The disease is more serious in the elderly, infants and people with a deficient immune system.

RAW MEAT SHOULD NEVER CONTACT COOKED MEAT

In the ‘all inclusive’ system, a large number of foods are waiting in the open buffets in the hot air for hours.

A Public Health Expert said “It is important to wash your hands well. But everyone is wearing a good-for-nothing white glove on their hands. Actually, so that his own hand doesn’t get dirty. When used several times, it spreads the infectious agent all over the place. I always prefer someone who washes their hands to someone who uses gloves. After toilets, before eating, before preparing food, hands should definitely be washed, raw meat should never touch cooked meat. In hot weather in summer, for example, we want salad bars to be removed, well-cooked foods not to be eaten.”

OUR FOOD SAFETY REPORT IS NOT VERY BRIGHT

A Professor from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of Infectious Diseases Faculty said that Turkey’s food safety report card was not bright at all. She said, “It is so grave that we are learning this from ‘others’ again.”

Stating that there was an intense food poisoning problem in Turkey every summer, the professor continued: “But now we see it much more than ever. In fact, it is difficult for us to produce salmonella in cases of diarrhea. Because patients come using antibiotics. This time we are producing it despite the fact that they came using antibiotics. So it’s a very resistant bacterium. Therefore, when combined with the cases in the UK, we understand that there are fractures in issues such as animal vaccination, animal diseases, food safety, food preparation transmission.”

PROBLEM OF UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES

Stating that most of the factors passing through nutrients are animal diseases and are common in poultry, she said: “Therefore, these diseases can be controlled by vaccination of poultry (salmonella) and the use of appropriate, controlled amounts of antibiotics in industrial production and sterilization of meat (by methods such as ultraviolet, radiation). For example, countries such as Denmark and Finland say that they eliminate animal diseases that lead to food poisoning.”

Salmonella can cause serious problems in immunocompromised, elderly, infants and pregnant women. Especially diarrhea that is accompanied by fever, abdominal pains, does not heal after 48 hours, blood in the stool, inflammatory substances should be taken seriously: “Salmonella is not acceptable. It is very common in India, Pakistan, African countries where there is a very underdeveloped, poor health system. In Northern European and North American countries, it is a very serious thing. Those that cause food poisoning, such as salmonella, are sued.”

According to the information given by the professor, following factors increase the risk:

*All raw foods and especially unpasteurized milk and dairy products, animal products such as milk, seafood are potentially risky. Mussels, poultry, ground beef are high-risk. Many foods in which the meat of animals is used by “pooling”, such as burgers, omelets, are risky.

*After cooking, contamination also occurs from food that has been left for a long time under unsuitable conditions, for example, without the container closed and / or at room temperature.

*Brucella, which is common in our country and transmitted from animal products, is most often transmitted from unpasteurized milk, cream, ice cream and fresh cheese.

*These foods, which are produced and consumed by saying ”we are returning to our roots” and are usually more expensive, may not be healthy. Especially raw milk is very dangerous. Boiling may not be enough. The healthiest thing is to consume pasteurized milk.

Source: diken.com.tr/britanyadan-al-haberi-turkiyeden-donen-241-turistte-salmonella-gorulmus/