In the last two weeks we are seeing growing Salmonella Outbreaks in the East and the West.  The Rhode Island Department of Health reports that the case count in the Salmonella outbreak linked to DeFusco’s bakery has increased to 25.  And, the CDC reports another Salmonella Outbreak linked to Del Monte cantaloupe with approximately 13 reported cases of Salmonella serotype Panama in the following states: Washington (4 cases), Oregon (5 cases), California (2 cases), Colorado (1 case).  Most will hopefully make a quick and complete recovery.  However, in some cases complications may occur:

Reactive Arthritis is the name used to describe an uncommon, but potentially debilitating group of symptoms that follows a gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or viral infection.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one disorder in a spectrum of common functional gastrointestinal disorders. Symptoms of IBS can include constipation, diarrhea, alternating diarrhea and constipation, abdominal pain, urgency, bloating, straining at stools, and a sense of incomplete evacuation.

Guillain-Barré (ghee-yan bah-ray) syndrome (GBS) is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. GBS often occurs a few days or weeks after a person has had symptoms of a respiratory or gastrointestinal viral or bacterial infection.