The Directorate General for Consumer Affairs, Competition and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) informs – via a notice published Thursday – of the recall of several batches of sachets of arugula, mesclun and young shoots and arugula of 125 grams and 145 grams for risk of salmonella contamination.
The brands concerned are: Bonduelle, Auchan Saint Eloi and Système U. Details of the products concerned are listed in the opinion of the DGCCRF.
The risk ? Food poisoning caused by salmonella results in gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain, often accompanied by fever; these symptoms may be more severe in young children, immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. The incubation period can range from 6 to 72 hours.
Health authorities recommend that people who still have the affected products to do not consume them and return them to the point of sale where they were purchased. “People who have consumed these products and who present these symptoms are invited to consult their doctor, notifying him of this consumption. In the absence of symptoms within 7 days after consumption of the products concerned, it is useless to worry and consult a doctor.”
Definition: what is salmonellosis?
Salmonellosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium of the family Salmonella. This bacterium is present in the digestive tract of certain mammals (pig, beef, etc.) and birds (chicken, turkey, etc.): in 95% of cases, it is transmitted from animals to humans through contaminated food.
The most frequently implicated foods are eggs and preparations made from raw or undercooked eggs (mayonnaise, sauces, etc.), dairy products (especially when they are made from raw milk), as well as meats. raw or undercooked (beef, pork, poultry, etc.). In the majority of cases (59%), infection with Salmonella is done during a meal at home.
To know. In France, bacteria of the genus Salmonella are among the main causes of food poisoning (TIAC). Thus, in 2012, 19% of TIACs were caused by an infection with Salmonella : the health authorities point out that salmonellosis occurs mainly in summer.
Symptoms: how does salmonellosis manifest?
When ingested orally, Salmonella arrives in the stomach where it is able to resist gastric acidity: it then invades the lining of the intestine where it proliferates and produces toxins. The incubation time of the bacteria (that is to say: the time between bacterial infection and the onset of the first symptoms) is between 12 hours and 48 hours.
The symptoms of salmonellosis are those of gastroenteritis. In particular, we can observe:
- Diarrhea,
- A fever above 37.5°C which comes on suddenly, headaches
- Vomitings,
- Nausea,
- abdominal pain,
- Chills.
To know. In the majority of cases, the symptoms of salmonellosis are mild and resolve spontaneously (without treatment) within 2 to 8 days. Salmonellosis is generally an acute disease: very rarely, bacteria of the genus Salmonella can be grafted onto an organ (the gallbladder, for example) and the disease then becomes chronic.
Risk factors: is salmonellosis a serious illness?
Most of the time, the symptoms of salmonellosis are mild. However, in frail people, the disease can become serious or even (rarely) fatal. Special monitoring must therefore be implemented at:
- People suffering from malnutrition,
- People suffering from a neoplastic pathology (understand: an abnormal formation of tissue linked to a disturbance in cell proliferation) from achlorhydria or hypochlorhydria (low level or absence of hydrochloric acid in the gastric fluid),
- infants,
- People on antibiotic treatment (broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy) or on treatment for gastric acidity,
- Old people,
- Immunocompromised people (under immunosuppressive treatment or with autoimmune diseases).
Risks during pregnancy: is salmonellosis serious in pregnant women?
Often harmless outside of pregnancy, salmonellosis is a disease that can have serious consequences on the unborn baby when it occurs during pregnancy. Thus, if a pregnant woman develops salmonellosis following a bacterial infection with Salmonellathe bacterium can cross the placental barrier and reach the fetus.
At birth, the child may then suffer from meningitis (an inflammation of the meninges, the membrane that surrounds the central nervous system), endocarditis (an inflammation of the endocardium, the internal membrane that covers the heart) or even osteomyelitis (an inflammation of the bone and bone marrow).
As soon as the first symptoms appear that could be reminiscent of salmonellosis (diarrhoea, vomiting… possibly linked to the consumption of a specific food), the pregnant woman must therefore quickly consult her doctor. Antibiotic therapy (fluoroquinolones and cotrimoxazole) will then be put in place to eliminate the bacteria Salmonella.
Diagnosis: how is salmonellosis diagnosed?
To know. In France, salmonellosis is not a notifiable disease. On the other hand, in the event of grouped cases linked to the consumption of the same food (for example: in a restaurant, a nursery, a school, etc.), there is a mandatory declaration of collective food poisoning.
The diagnosis of salmonellosis is most often made through a blood test: serology makes it possible to identify specific antibodies against the bacterium of the genus Salmonella. In case of diarrhea, a stool analysis can be prescribed: using a coproculture, the bacteria will be highlighted.
Finally, if the doctor suspects typhoid or paratyphoid fever (respectively caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi while “minor” salmonellosis is rather caused by Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteridis Where Salmonella Dublin), a blood culture can be performed in order to identify a septicaemic syndrome as quickly as possible.
Treatment: against salmonellosis, what management?
It has been said: in the majority of cases, salmonellosis heals spontaneously (that is to say: without treatment) within 2 to 8 days. The mortality rate of the disease in the absence of antibiotic therapy is also less than 1%. The management of this infectious disease is therefore mainly based on the hydration of patients: indeed, the main risk is dehydration, linked to vomiting and diarrhea.
In the event of severe salmonellosis (or if the blood culture has revealed sepsis, i.e. a blood infection), antibiotic drugs will be prescribed by the doctor: fluoroquinolones and cotrimoxazole are then responsible for eliminate the bacteria. However, the health authorities observe a growth in antibiotic resistance in bacteria of the family of Salmonella.
Predisposing factors: who is affected by salmonellosis?
Formerly described as a “disease of dirty hands”, salmonellosis primarily affected professions exposed to meat, eggs and raw dairy products: butchers, agricultural professions, grocers, etc.
Today, salmonellosis can potentially affect everyone. It occurs rather in homes where there is a lack of hygiene in the kitchen and/or where the rules for preserving food are poorly respected.
It should be noted that this infectious disease is contagious since the bacterium can (more rarely) be transmitted between humans: thus, if a person infected with a bacterium of the genus Salmonella leaves the toilet without washing her hands and then touches food, she can spread the pathogen in the household. In medical language, we then speak of “human-to-human transmission by the faecal-oral route”.
Prevention: what are the right actions to prevent salmonellosis?
In 95% of cases, the bacterial infection Salmonella results from the consumption of contaminated food. To prevent salmonellosis, it is therefore essential (and especially during pregnancy) to adopt strict hygiene rules in the kitchen:
- Cook the meat “throughout”, i.e. to at least 65°C for 5-6 minutes,
- Store eggs in the fridge
- Do not wash eggs before storing them in the refrigerator,
- Keep uncooked preparations containing raw eggs cold: mayonnaise, pastries, sauces, etc.
- Consume quickly (within 2 days) raw meats and the remains of opened cans,
- Eat charcuterie within 3-4 days when it has been started, the same for leftover “homemade” dishes, milk and egg pastries,
- Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before consumption,
- Wash your hands well after touching a live animal: especially poultry, cattle and pigs, but also reptiles which can carry the bacteria,
- Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw foods (eggs, meat, vegetables, etc.), then carefully clean the work surface used for preparations,
- Preserve the cold chain: do not defrost then refreeze a food, for example.
In addition, it is not recommended for the elderly and/or immunocompromised people, young children and pregnant women to consume raw or undercooked eggs, raw or undercooked meats and raw milk.
Thanks to Dr. Jean-Christophe Létard, hepato-gastroenterologist at the Polyclinic of Poitiers (Elsan group).
Sources:
- National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)
- National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES)
- Pastor Institute
- The big book of my pregnancy, CNGOF, ed. Eyrolles.
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