2 salmonella outbreaks and a cucumber recall: What you need to know
Correction & clarification: This story has been updated to reflect that recalled cucumbers have not been linked to any ongoing salmonella outbreaks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating two salmonella outbreaks that have sickened more than 300 people in at least 25 states, and could potentially be connected to cucumbers.
In the first reported outbreak, 162 people in 25 states and the District of Columbia had been infected with the strain Salmonella Africana, the CDC reported Wednesday. Nearly three-fourths of those patients (72%) interviewed said they ate cucumbers.
The CDC said 54 people have been hospitalized but no deaths have been reported in that outbreak.
The CDC and FDA are also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections, with 158 illnesses in 23 states, the FDA said Wednesday.
The agencies did not release what states were included in this second outbreak. But the FDA said in the update "the two outbreaks share several similarities, including where and when illnesses occurred and the demographics of ill people. … Investigators are working to determine whether the two outbreaks could be linked to the same food vehicle."
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States where people have gotten sick from salmonella potentially linked to cucumbers
The CDC says epidemiologic data show cucumbers may be contaminated with salmonella and may be causing illnesses. In its ongoing investigation, these states have reported salmonella infections:
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Indiana
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
North Carolina
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Cucumbers recalled in 14 states for possible salmonella contamination
Cucumbers recalled for possible salmonella contamination were shipped to wholesalers and distributors in 14 states, but that recall has not yet been linked to outbreaks.
Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. of Delray, Florida, on May 31 recalled cucumbers grown in Florida and shipped to the 14 states from May 17-21, 2024. That recall came after some cucumbers tested positive for salmonella, the FDA said on June 1.
The May 31 recall was initiated after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture informed Fresh Start Produce that a product sample tested positive for salmonella. The cucumbers the company distributes come from a variety of growers; the grower that likely supplied potentially contaminated cucumbers is no longer growing and harvesting cucumbers for the season, the CDC said.
Although these cucumbers had a positive salmonella sample, the FDA said it has not linked these products to any ongoing outbreaks. Further testing is underway to see if it is the same strain as the one making people sick, the CDC said.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the agencies are trying to determine whether other cucumbers – or other products – are linked to illnesses.States where the cucumbers were distributed include: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
The recall does not include English cucumbers or mini cucumbers and any recalled cucumbers should no longer be in stores, the CDC said.
Symptoms of salmonella infection
Salmonella is a bacteria that can get into the food production chain when those handling food do not wash their hands and the process isn't kept sanitary, according to the FDA. It's usually spread in spread in raw and undercooked foods, and contaminated water, the CDC says.
Typical symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps; these usually occur between six hours and six days after exposure, the CDC says. More severe infections may include aches, headaches, elevated fever, lethargy, rashes, blood in the urine or stool. In some cases, the illness may become fatal.
Salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the U.S. annually, according to the CDC.
How to prevent salmonella infections
Common sense methods of avoiding illness from salmonella include thoroughly washing your hands and your produce, Marler said.
With food, "keep hot things hot and cold things cold," he said. "If you are having symptoms keep hydrated and see your physician."
The concurrent outbreaks is unusual.
The second outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup, "came out of left field," said Bill Marler, a food safety lawyer. "It is unclear at this point if it is linked to the cucumbers or to some other multi-state product."
And Salmonella Africana "is a very rare strain (with) … very few outbreaks in the U.S. ever," he said.
"Given that the two outbreaks are about the same size and have near the same number of states, they may be the same outbreak – just with multiple strains – that does happen," Marler told USA TODAY. "The public should be on alert."
The CDC is also investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry, which has sickened 109 people, including 33 who were hospitalized.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CDC, FDA investigating salmonella outbreaks possibly tied to cucumbers
