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Salmonella cases linked to contact with Wisconsin dairy bull calves

Wisconsin officials are investigating several Salmonella cases linked to contact with dairy bull calves.  Twelve human cases of drug-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg  have been reported in eight Wisconsin counties.  State Health and Ag officials have not tied the illnesses to food consumption.

Ag Department Spokesperson Raechelle Belli tells Brownfield the agency is collaborating with state and federal health authorities.  “In many cases, the animal itself has died as a result of the infection as well.  We are still in the investigative stages of this  looking to see if we can determine how far it might have spread and what we can do to contain it.”

Belli says this strain of Salmonella was first reported in January and most recently in October, but they are still searching for a common link.  “We’re still looking at doing the tracebacks on the different animals and where they might have gone, and what the commonalities are between the market chains that they’ve gone through and that type of thing.  It could take some time to determine exactly how far this has gone.”

Belli tells Brownfield, “That despite this, the food supply still remains safe.”  She adds, “No one should be concerned about eating beef that’s properly prepared or drinking properly pasteurized milk products.”

State Veterinarian, Dr. Paul McGraw urges livestock handlers to use biosecurity techniques to minimize spreading any infections.

The Center for Disease Control issued a statement saying, “Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory findings have linked this outbreak to contact with dairy bull calves purchased from livestock markets in Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin Department of Health officials have not released which counties the Salmonella Heidelberg cases are located in, but confirm there are no human deaths from the infection.  They say 21 people have become sick in eight states.