Most cases of SE infection occur as sporadic cases or in limited family outbreaks, such as the Tennessee outbreak reported here, and not as part of large common-source outbreaks. Many of these sporadic cases and limited outbreaks may be associated with consumption of contaminated eggs that have been insufficiently cooked to kill Salmonella. Therefore, the occurrence of infections acquired by eating foods prepared in the kitchens of private homes might be reduced by improved education of consumers regarding the risks of eating raw or undercooked eggs and by increased availability of pasteurized eggs. To reduce the risk for SE infection in other settings, such as nursing homes and hospitals, pasteurized egg products should be used in recipes that call for undercooking or pooling of eggs. Similarly, commercial food service establishments can reduce the risk of outbreaks by using pasteurized egg products in such recipes.
Commercial eggnog is made with pasteurized eggs and is safe.
To address the public health problem of SE, two major control measures have recently been implemented. In addition, food service establishments are advised not to serve raw or undercooked eggs, to substitute pasteurized eggs for pooled eggs when possible, and to serve pooled eggs immediately after cooking. To help characterize sporadic cases and to assist in epidemiologic investigations, Salmonella isolates should be serotyped by state public health laboratories. Clinicians and microbiologists are encouraged to report cases of Salmonella infection to state and local health departments. When SE outbreaks occur, notification of CDC and the USDA through state health departments will promote identification of contaminated eggs and implementation of control measures.