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Wed 04 Apr 2007Rate of infected chickens above EU levelJust over one in four chickens reared in Ireland is infected with the salmonella bacterium, a survey by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has revealed.At 27.6 per cent, the Irish incidence of salmonella is higher than the European average of 23.7 per cent, according to the survey of over 7,000 chicken flocks. Salmonella is a principal cause of foodborne illnesses, ranging from stomach bugs to typhoid.