An outbreak of salmonella poisoning linked to recalled cucumbers has expanded, sickening 32 more people and sending seven more to the hospital across 23 states.
The CDC’s update brings the total number of sicknesses up from 68 last month to 100 currently, and hospitalizations up from 18 to 25. The agency also highlighted a dozen companies that grew, distributed, or sold tainted cucumbers.
The produce was shipped to many states, including California, Arizona, Texas, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Colorado, Kansas, New York, Massachusetts, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Alaska and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.
Salmonella causes a potentially severe bacterial infection called salmonellosis, which brings about nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and sometimes bloody stool.
Many people with salmonellosis also develop a fever, which can become severe and require hospitalization. Severe GI upset can lead to dehydration.
The CDC estimates salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections annually, more than 26,000 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths.
The impacted cucumbers were sold between October 12 and November 15. No deaths have been reported in connection to the recall.
Cucumbers from SunFed, LLC (pictured here) have been recalled from retailers in 26 states, the FDA said. The company is one of about a dozen whose products have been recalled out of salmonella concerns
If you have purchased affected products, the FDA advises throwing them out and cleaning counters that may have some into contact with them to avoid cross contamination
Bacteria infiltrate food that has been exposed to animal feces. When humans ingest that food, the bacteria travel through the stomach to the small intestine. Once there, it begins destroying the cells lining the intestinal walls.
The body launches an all-out immune assault against the pathogens, activating killer cells to find diseased cells and destroy them.
However, this also causes inflammation as the body increases blood flow to the infection site to deliver more immune cells to the area. This can lead to diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, and sometimes vomiting.
The CDC said: ‘The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.’
Recent illnesses may not have been reported yet, as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
The median age of patients is 27, and the majority are female – 63 percent versus 37 percent.
The vast majority, 85 percent, are white.
The CDC added: ‘State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 67 people interviewed, 54 (81%) reported eating or likely eating cucumbers.’
The CDC and state agencies identified seven clusters of illnesses linked to three assisted living facilities, three school districts, and one restaurant.
The CDC estimates that salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections annually, more than 26,000 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths
These clusters consist of unrelated individuals who dined at the same venue or attended the same event, such as a restaurant, school, or care facility. Cucumbers were served at all seven locations.
The FDA warns not to consume affected products. If you are unsure if a product has been recalled, contact the retailer from whom it was purchased.
The agency also advises cleaning surfaces that might have come into contact with the cucumbers to avoid cross-contamination.
