Italian-style deli meat is feared to be source of salmonella outbreak in 17 states that has hospitalized 12 people and sickened another 24

 A dozen people have been taken to hospital after a salmonella outbreak spread across the country - with the source believe to be Italian-style deli meat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on Tuesday that 17 states are believed to be affected.

They said 36 people have fallen ill in two separate outbreaks, with the remaining 24 not requiring hospital treatment. People in both outbreaks reported eating salami, prosciutto, and other meats. 

Investigators are working to identify specific contaminated products and determine if the two outbreaks are linked to the same food source.

'Until we identify which Italian-style meats are making people sick, heat all Italian-style meats to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating if you are at higher risk,' the CDC said in a tweet on Tuesday. 

'Heating food to a high enough temperature helps kill germs like salmonella.' 

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Deli meats like prosciutto and salami are believed to be behind a salmonella outbreak

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The first outbreak included 23 people from 14 states, including Washington, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia.  

The salmonella strain Typhimurium was identified as having infected the victims between the end of May and July 27. 

Laboratory testing found that 20 of these cases were resistant to common antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline. 

The second outbreak included 13 people from seven states, including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota and New York. 

Some states - among them California, Minnesota and Arizona - were affected by both strains. 

That outbreak took place between the end of May and early June, and was a strain called Salmonella Infantis, which typically strikes children under two. 

Those sickened ranged in age from one to 74 years; of those, three have reportedly been hospitalized. 

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Salmonella bacteria, a common cause of food-borne disease, invade an immune cell

Those who are most at-risk from salmonella include individuals ages 65 years or older, or who have health conditions or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs. 

In addition, children younger than five years old are more likely to get very sick from salmonella.  

Symptoms of salmonella include vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration and can last from four to seven days.

Most people recover without needing medical intervention.

In October the CDC reported an outbreak of listeria infection, stemming from deli meats. One person in Florida died, and 10 people in three states were hospitalized.

Britain on Wednesday reported almost 180 people falling ill with suspected salmonella poisoning after eating different types of crispy pork snacks. 

The packets of pork scratchings sold under the labels Mr. Porky, Jay’s and The Real Pork Crackling Company were all made by the snack company Tayto Group, and are not widely available in the U.S.