The Communicable Disease Control Branch (CDCB) has identified a recent marked increase in cases of Salmonella Havana with 21 cases reported since 1st June 2018. This exceeds the expected number of cases per month (average less than one per month) and seven cases (33%) have been hospitalised. Cases are from both rural South Australia and metropolitan Adelaide. Affected persons range in age from 22 years to 87 years, with a median age of 64 years.
This outbreak is associated with South Australian grown alfalfa sprouts produced by Adelaide business SA Sprouts which are the subject of a product recall, see: Food safety.
Doctors are asked to:
- Be aware that alfalfa sprouts are a high risk food.
- Advise patients that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and immune suppressed persons should avoid eating raw sprouts.
- Exclude people with diarrhoea from school, childcare and workplace until diarrhoea-free for 24 hours.
- Exclude commercial food handlers with diarrhoea from work until diarrhoea-free for 48 hours.
- Advise other people with diarrhoea not to prepare food for others until diarrhoea-free for 48 hours.
- Notify cases of suspected food poisoning to CDCB on 1300 232 272.
Source: http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au
