The number of people who have become ill from eating Salmonella-tainted melons has risen to 99 since April. Investigations are continuing into whether Galia, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons imported from Honduras and Costa Rica may be implicated. The same strain – Salmonella enterica serovar Braenderup - has been reported recently in infections found in Denmark, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Canada, and Switzerland. Read more
Advice for travellers
Salmonella is a bacterium typically found in food, such as poultry, that causes diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection. Illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment, although diarrhoea may be so severe as to require hospital treatment. Young children and the elderly are at highest risk of severe illness. There is no vaccine to prevent salmonellosis. Read more
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.