{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.033197437390797904, 'fraction_numerical': 0.026208503203261502, 'mean_word_length': 5.633204633204633, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Multi‐country outbreak of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type 34 linked to chocolate products – first update – 18 May 2022

On 17 February 2022, the United Kingdom (UK) reported a cluster of cases with monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type 34 infection. As of 18 May 2022, 324 cases had been reported in 12 EU/EEA countries and the UK, including two distinct strains. Most cases are below ten years of age and 41% of all cases have been hospitalised. The two strains are multidrug-resistant and some tested isolates also carry resistance to disinfectants that are based on quaternary ammonium compounds and hydrogen peroxide, but remain susceptible to azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, meropenem, and third generation cephalosporins. Epidemiological investigations suggested specific chocolate products of Brand A, produced by Company A in Processing Plant B in Belgium, as likely vehicles of infection. Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i:- is the third most common serovar (or rather variant of Typhimurium) among human Salmonella infections in the EU/EEA [8]. Between 2016 and 2020, it accounted for 8.9% of reported salmonellosis cases. The serovar is known for expressing resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfonamides and tetracycline (resistance pattern ASSuT). However, the strain in the current outbreak is also expressing resistance to additional aminoglycosides (such as gentamicin and kanamycin), phenicols (such as chloramphenicol), and trimethoprim. Genes associated with resistance to lincosamides have also been identified but are not expressed in most tested isolates. The isolates are susceptible to azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and third generation cephalosporins.