Raw pet food, cattle linked to drug-resistant salmonella outbreak affecting mainly kids: PHAC – CTV
Nov. 14, 2023
An outbreak of extensively drug-resistant salmonella has been linked to raw pet food and contact with cattle, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
In a Nov. 11 public health notice(opens in a new tab), the agency said 40 cases have been confirmed in six provinces, including 21 cases in Quebec, 14 in Ontario, two in Nova Scotia, and one each in Manitoba, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Thirteen people have been hospitalized.
“Many of the individuals who became sick are children five years of age or younger,” the notice said. “The Salmonella strain associated with this outbreak investigation is extensively drug-resistant, which means it’s resistant to all commonly recommended antibiotics.”
Although cases date from July 2020 to September 2023, the outbreak is considered ongoing as illnesses continue to be reported. While there have been no human deaths, some infected dogs and cattle have died. Children under five represent 43 per cent of all cases.
