DOH is recalling all packages of cheese blintzes from retail markets and is also excluding from work all individuals who were involved in the production of frozen blintzes and who may have contaminated these food products. These workers will be excluded from work until completion of specimen testing and analysis. The Health Department is actively investigating this outbreak and is taking steps to ensure that salmonella will not spread. Salmonellosis is a bacterial infection that generally affects the intestinal tract and occasionally the bloodstream. It is one of the more common causes of foodborne illness.
Any person can get salmonellosis, but it is recognized more often in infants and children.
Symptoms of salmonella may include mild or severe diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and occasionally vomiting. Symptoms generally appear one to three days after infection, and persons who experience these symptoms are advised to contact their physician or health care provider. Most people diagnosed with salmonellosis will recover on their own or require only fluids to prevent dehydration. In most cases, antibiotics and antidiarrheal drugs are not necessary and are not generally recommended. The New York City Department of Health's Poison Control Center is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to provide immediate help and advice in medical emergencies, including concerns about foodborne illness symptoms.