Salmonella in spinach from Italy: International outbreak of infections in Europe

The international outbreak of Salmonella Umbilo infections between July and September 2024 affected nine European countries, causing around 200 cases. Germany was the worst affected country, with 118 infections reported. Unfortunately, one person died from the infection. Investigations revealed that the source of the infections was rocket and baby spinach from a single producer in Italy. Genetic tests confirmed that the strains of the bacteria were closely related. The peak of cases was recorded between the end of July and the beginning of September, when 16 to 21 new infections were reported each week. In mid-August, the German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) noticed an unusual increase in the number of Salmonella Umbilo cases and alerted other countries via the EpiPulse portal and the EWRS early warning system. In response, cases were reported by countries including Denmark and Austria, where 22 and 19 infections were confirmed, respectively. Other European countries reported ...