A new Salmonella outbreak is worrying the United Kingdom, where 207 people have so far been infected and one of them has died. Investigations conducted by British health authorities point the finger at imported eggs, used mainly by bars, cafes and restaurants.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is coordinating the investigation, working together with the Food Standards Agency and other public health bodies. For now, a link with eggs or poultry produced in the United Kingdom has been ruled out, but the search for the exact origin of the contamination is still open, also in collaboration with other European countries.
The cases involve people of all ages, from less than one year to 90 years of age, and are concentrated above all in England, where 199 infections have been recorded, while in Scotland there are 6 cases, 1 in Wales and 1 in Northern Ireland.
The clinical situation should not be underestimated: at least 34 people were hospitalized in serious conditions and two developed a blood infection. The UKHSA provided no details on the deceased, explaining that the circumstances of the death were still under investigation.
From a temporal point of view, the first case identified dates back to 11 August 2025, but the majority of infections were diagnosed starting from mid-July 2026. Thanks to whole genome sequencing, experts confirmed that all 207 cases belong to the same bacterial strain, which allowed them to be linked to a single outbreak.
Contagion due to imported eggs
The suspicion regarding imported eggs arises from interviews conducted with 114 sick people, which made it possible to identify five food businesses frequented by at least two patients independently before the onset of symptoms, for a total of 24 connected cases.
By reconstructing the supply chain, the authorities discovered that these establishments used eggs from different sources, including importers, and possible incidents of cross-contamination were also identified in two of these operations. However, this does not mean that the company or country from which the contaminated eggs arrive has already been identified and this is precisely the central issue that investigators are still trying to resolve.
Then there is a detail that makes the story even more significant. According to Dr Safi Rehman, a research associate at King’s College London, this outbreak would be genetically very close to one identified in 2025, also linked to the consumption of imported eggs. It would therefore not be an isolated episode, but a case closely linked to that of last year, which suggests the existence of a common source or supply chain yet to be identified with certainty.
On the operational front, the investigations continue on several levels: we are trying to reconstruct the entire food chain, from the eggs used on the premises to their origin, to identify the point where the contamination could have occurred and to verify the episodes of cross-contamination that have already emerged, while the exchange of information with other European countries continues to trace any genetically linked cases.
UKHSA epidemiologist Hannah Charles, interviewed by Guardianrecalled that salmonellosis is usually contracted through the consumption or handling of contaminated food and that, although in most cases the disease remains mild, it can become more serious in fragile people or people with compromised immune defenses.
The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and fever. To reduce the risk of contagion, the authorities recommend washing your hands well after going to the bathroom and before cooking or handling food, always cooking food well and, for those with symptoms, avoiding preparing food for other people as much as possible.
And is there anything to worry about in Italy?
At the moment there is no specific alert for eggs sold in our country that is linked to the situation occurring in the UK. The British investigation is still looking for the origin of the imported eggs involved, and no particular supply chain or manufacturing company has been disclosed.
However, it remains an issue to keep an eye on, also because it comes after another genetically linked outbreak in 2025, and reminds once again how fundamental food traceability is, in particular for a product like eggs, also used every day in catering.
It is not so rare, among other things, that eggs contaminated with Salmonella are recalled in our country too. The latest case concerned those sold by Eurospin.
