Salmonella confirmed in eight poultry flocks
The flocks are located in a number of different locations across the country.
Eight poultry flocks in Ireland have been confirmed as positive for Salmonella Typhimurium.
All of these flocks have been restricted and are under Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine controls.
The flocks are located in a number of different locations, the department said.
A department spokesperson said: "The Department of Agriculture is working closely with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella, in order to determine the cause of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium and to mitigate risks.
"This investigation is ongoing.
"A National Salmonella Control Programme in poultry operates on an ongoing basis, including regular sampling by DAFM and farmers at multiple points during the life stages of poultry flocks.
"This programme has been operating successfully over many years, with a very low prevalence of any Salmonella species in Irish broiler flocks."
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland said that it has been notified by the Department of Agriculture about the investigation it is carrying out into incidences of Salmonella infection in a number of broiler flocks.
"The FSAI is liaising with the department in its investigation," a spokesperson said.
"This on-farm incident has arisen following the food recall of Western Brand undertaken last week."
The spokesperson said that the FSAI has been notified by the department that affected flocks will be culled and will not enter the food chain.
"The FSAI will continue to liaise with the Department of Agriculture with its ongoing investigation," the spokesperson added.
Irish Farmers' Association poultry chair Nigel Sweetnam has said that the confirmed cases of Salmonella are in a small number of farms, however, it is "devastating" for the flock owners concerned.
Mr Sweetnam said the affected flocks are restricted and there is "no threat to human health".
He told the that farmers should be vigilant, and to continue with the "excellent job" they have done in implementing biosecurity measures recently, with keeping bird flu out of flocks in the last number of months "testament to farmers' capabilities".
According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, there are many different kinds of Salmonella bacteria, but the most common in Ireland are Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium.
The FSAI warns that people infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between six and 72 hours.
The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody.
Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.
The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.
