Publisher’s Platform: What the heck is up with Salmonella and Cantaloupe?

— OPINION —

In the United States as of today, a total of 407 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella were reported from 44 states (Alaska 1, Arizona 15, Arkansas 2, California 56, Colorado 11, Connecticut 2, Florida 4, Georgia 8, Illinois 22, Indiana 9, Iowa 12, Kansas 2, Kentucky 10, Maryland 9, Massachusetts 2, Michigan 7, Minnesota 29, Mississippi 1, Missouri 15, Montana 3, Nebraska 7, Nevada 8, New Hampshire 1, New Jersey 8, New Mexico 2, New York 14, North Carolina 7, North Dakota 1, Ohio 14, Oklahoma 4, Oregon 8, Pennsylvania 5, Rhode Island 1, South Carolina 10, South Dakota 2, Tennessee 7, Texas 30, Utah 12, Vermont 1, Virginia 8, Washington 4, West Virginia 3, Wisconsin 29, Wyoming 1). Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 15, 2023, to December 25, 2023. Of 362 people with information available, 158 (44%) were hospitalized. Six deaths were reported

In Canada as of December 22, there have been 164 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall and Oranienburg illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (18), Alberta (4), Ontario (21), Quebec (111), Prince Edward Island (2), New Brunswick (2), Nova Scotia (4) and Newfoundland and Labrador (2). Additional Salmonella infections are under investigation and more illnesses associated with this outbreak may be confirmed. Individuals became sick between mid-October and early December 2023. Sixty-one (61) individuals have been hospitalized. Seven deaths have been reported.

The true number of sick people in this outbreak was likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella (Sundsvall and Oranienburg) infections. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data showed that cantaloupes were contaminated with Salmonella made people sick. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis shows that clinical isolates from the ill people in are genetically related to the ill people in the United States and Canada. FDA’s traceback investigation is ongoing but has identified Sofia Produce, LLC dba TruFresh of Nogales, AZ; Crown Jewels Produce of Fresno, CA; and Pacific Trellis Fruit dba Dulcinea of Fresno, CA as suppliers of the potentially contaminated “Malichita” or “Rudy” brand cantaloupes.

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