--- title: Dispelling common myths about Salmonella date: 2024-01-28T16:55:00-08:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/dispelling-common-myths-about-salmonella" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Case News](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news) / # Dispelling common myths about Salmonella In 2009, over 40,000 cases of Salmonella (13.6 cases per 100,000 persons) were reported to the CDC by public health laboratories across the nation, representing a decrease of approximately 15% from the previous year, but a 4.2% increase since 1996. Overall, the incidence of *Salmonella* in the U.S. has not significantly changed since 1996. Only a small proportion of all *Salmonella* infections are diagnosed and reported to health departments. It is estimated that for every reported case, there are approximately 38.6 undiagnosed infections. The CDC estimates that 1.4 million cases, 15,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths are caused by *Salmonella* infections in the U.S. every year. *Salmonella* can be grouped into more than 2,400 serotypes. The two most common serotypes in the U.S. are *S.* Typhimurium and *S.* Enteritidis. *S.* Typhi, the serotype that causes typhoid fever, is uncommon in the U.S. But globally, typhoid fever continues to be a significant problem, with an estimated 12 to 33 million cases occurring annually. Moreover, outbreaks in developing countries have a high death rate, especially when caused by strains of the bacterium that are resistant to antibiotic treatment. *Salmonella* are found in the intestinal tract of wild and domesticated animals and humans. Some serotypes of *Salmonella*, such as *S.* Typhi and *S.* Paratyphi are only found in humans. For ease of discussion, it is generally useful to group *Salmonella*e into two broad categories: Typhoidal, which includes *S*. Typhi and *S*. Paratyphi, and non-typhoidal, which includes all other serotypes. Food remains the most common vehicle for the spread of *Salmonella*, and eggs are the most common food implicated. 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