Health authorities across Europe and the United States are investigating a salmonella outbreak that has infected more than 60 people.
Between January and May, 62 cases of Salmonella Stanley were reported in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States.
Children and adolescents are the most affected age group, with hospitalizations occurring in most countries. The cause has not yet been revealed, but most people were infected domestically.
8 people still sick in Denmark
Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut (SSI) first communicated about the outbreak in April. There are still eight cases of Salmonella Stanley in Korea.
SSI, Danish Veterinary Medicine, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency and the National Food Research Institute are participating in the investigation. The patients are 7 men and 1 woman. Their ages range from 5 to 22 years, with an average age of 11.5 years.
Whole genome sequencing of bacteria isolated from the patient showed that they are closely related genetically and all belong to sequence type 2045. This means there is likely a common source of infection.
England and Austria are affected
In the UK, 21 cases have been linked to the outbreak. They became ill between late January and mid-April 2026. Eight of the patients were children and six were hospitalized.
Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director of Gastrointestinal Infections at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “We are supporting a multinational Salmonella outbreak with more cases being reported among young people. The cause of the outbreak is still under investigation.
“There are simple steps to prevent the spread of salmonella. Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing and handling food, cook your food thoroughly, and if possible, do not allow others to handle your food if you have symptoms..”
Austria also had 6 patients. The Ministry of Health has asked the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) to investigate the foodborne outbreak.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is monitoring the incident together with the affected countries and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
“The identification of a close genetic cluster involving several countries, combined with the temporal distribution of cases, suggests a likely common cause of the outbreak. The preponderance of younger age groups may indicate specific exposure patterns or food preferences. However, the suspected source of infection has not yet been identified,” ECDC said.
