Health officials in Oakland County in eastern Michigan are investigating 15 cases of salmonella.
The Detroit News reports that the county's Health Division is investigating a strain of salmonella called Salmonella Saintpaul. The paper says cases have been identified in other counties in the state and in Ohio and Illinois.
The division's chief of medical services, Dr. Pamela Hackert, says that the investigation suggests that salmonella is "being spread through personal contact" and urged residents to wash their hands before they eat meals or use the restroom.
Salmonella is a bacterium that causes diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps when it gets into the intestines. Typically, people recover without treatment but infants, elderly people and people with impaired immune systems are at greater risk of becoming severely ill.
