The health officials of Lake and Geauga counties have reported that there have been a few cases of salmonella outbreak - associated with contaminated peanut butter - in the two counties. While the ailment struck five people in Lake County; two people were identified with the salmonella strain in Geauga County.

Though the illnesses were reported through the respective doctor's offices of both the counties, there were no reports of either hospitalization or death due to the salmonella infection, which has symptoms similar to the stomach flu, accompanied usually by high fever.

According to Kathy Durchik, Lake County General Health District's nursing director, on average nearly 30 cases of salmonella are reported in the county per year; and the agency has played a significant role in administering the food recalls.

Jay Becker, the Geauga County Health District's disease surveillance specialist, there has been no recent case in the county for over a month. Commenting on the link of the ailment with peanut butter, Becker said that FDA has to se the guidelines, and added: "When you have a packaged item like peanut butter, you put a lot of confidence into the product that you're buying."

Federal authorities have linked peanut products made at Peanut Corp. of America's Georgia plant to the salmonella outbreak, which affected almost 575 people and caused nearly eight deaths!