Salmonella Outbreak in 10 States Leads To Alfalfa Sprouts Recall
A salmonella outbreak that has infected 22 people in 10 states is being investigated by Federal public health officials. This was announced by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday.
The consumption of raw alfalfa sprouts are related to the infection reported the CDC.
Caldwell fresh Foods, a California based company is recalling all alfalfa sprouts manufactured by the company under three of its brands since it can be contaminated with Salmonella.
There have been no reports of death due to the outbreak so far but four of the infected have been hospitalized. This was informed by Caldwell Fresh Foods in a statement on Friday.
CDC is working closely with the US Food and Drug Administration and the state public health officials to investigate the salmonella outbreak.
One out of those infected was an infant who has been hospitalized in Oregon reports CNN. Paul Cieslak, manager of the state health department’s communicable disease department has said that the baby has been eating alfalfa sprouts.
CDC has said that a single sprout processor has been identified in the initial investigations though Caldwell Fresh Foods has not yet been named. Requests for comment were not responded by the CDC.
Meanwhile Caldwell Fresh Foods have said that 11 of those infected are in California with the most recent case of infection happening on May 2.
The sprouts which were distributed under the brand names of Caldwell Fresh Foods, nature’s Choice and California Exotics have been recalled voluntarily, informed the company.
The company said the sprouts were distributed to various restaurants, delicatessens and retailers across the country with the products being sold to Trader Joe’s and Wal-Mart stores in California among others.
Some of the other states that have also reported the infection are Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Wisconsin, the CDC said.
The first illness linked to the outbreak was on March 1, the agency said. Symptoms of infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours of the infection with the disease lasting four to seven days.
The infection can develop into serious illness in children, infants, and the elderly and with people with weak immune system. For others it normally gets cured without treatment. CDC said that in some cases it can cause death if not treated with proper antibiotics.
