Isn't it odd that an outbreak that was once associated with chickens and eggs now seems to appear in almost any food but. Lately it's turned up in peanut butter, tomatoes, Cadbury Schweppes chocolate bars, Hershey's chocolate,"Wild Kitty" Cat Food, basil, orange juice, soft cheese, raw milk, almonds and frozen chicken. Surprisingly, there have been no major outbreaks involving chicken eggs!
But, according to the CDC:
Every year, approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States. Because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be thirty or more times greater. Salmonellosis is more common in the summer than winter.
Children are the most likely to get salmonellosis. The rate of diagnosed infections in children less than five years old is about five times higher than the rate in all other persons. Young children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised are the most likely to have severe infections. It is estimated that approximately 400 persons die each year with acute salmonellosis.
What we have happening now is the discovery of salmonella in products that were once considered a very low risk (but a risk nonetheless) and some active media scaremongering.
An interesting page can be found on the CDC website where it shows the various salmonella strain outbreaks in a map form. Granted, it's a map of the USA but it's still a good idea.
http://www.cdc.gov/s.../outbreaks.html
