The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning over a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs imported from outside the UK, with 259 cases and one death reported.
Officials have highlighted the importance of recognising the key symptoms, as the infection can lead to serious illness in some people. According to the UKHSA, there are more than 2,500 different types of salmonella, which naturally live in the guts of many domestic and wild animals, including chickens, cattle, pigs, hedgehogs, snakes and lizards.
How Salmonella Spreads
Most people become infected through eating contaminated food. Salmonella can be found in foods such as eggs, chicken, pork and dairy products. Fruit and vegetables can also carry the bacteria if they have been in contact with livestock, manure or untreated water.
Doctors from Cleveland Clinic have shared the main symptoms to look out for, including diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), fever, stomach pains or cramps, nausea and vomiting, and headache.
Contagious Nature and Advice
Salmonella can be contagious. Advice said: "You can get it from another person or even your pet. If you don’t wash your hands after going to the bathroom or while you’re sick, you can contaminate surfaces and food. This can spread the infection to other people."
Most people can manage salmonella infection without needing to see a doctor. The UKHSA recommends staying at home, drinking clear fluids and electrolytes, avoiding fatty or spicy foods, and taking paracetamol if in discomfort. Experts also advised avoiding fruit juice or fizzy drinks, as these can make diarrhoea worse.
Urgent Care and Official Response
Call 999 or go to A&E for more serious symptoms, such as vomiting blood, a sudden severe headache or tummy ache, breathing difficulties, confusion, or blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin. Officials warned that babies, young children, pregnant women and older people should only eat thoroughly cooked eggs in restaurants and cafes.
Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: "It’s important to emphasise that the overall risk to the general public remains low.
"In England, all salmonella samples from patients presenting to hospitals or primary care undergo whole genome sequencing, which provides a good understanding of the emergence of new outbreaks.
"Our investigation to date indicates a link to imported eggs, however this investigation remains ongoing. We will continue to follow up cases and investigate any further common sources if they come to light.
"Salmonella infection typically causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever for a short period in most people. However, it can lead to more serious illness, including sepsis requiring hospital admission, particularly in those who are more vulnerable to infection."
