A salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers has spread to 25 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, with at least 162 people sickened and 54 hospitalized, health officials said Wednesday.
Federal and state agencies are investigating the outbreak following data showing cucumbers may be contaminated with salmonella, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a public statement. job. Tests that identified salmonella in a sample of Fresh Start Produce caused the recall two days ago of cucumbers shipped to 14 states.
Tests are still underway to establish a definitive link, according to the agency. Salmonella can cause serious and even fatal infections in young, frail or elderly people. Healthy people infected with salmonella may experience symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause more serious infections.
Illnesses linked to the outbreak began on March 11 and continued until mid-May, according to the CDC. Affected individuals live in the District of Columbia and the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Carolina Northern, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Salmonella bacteria causes an estimated 1.3 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths each year in the United States, with diet causing most of the illnesses, according to has the CDC. Anyone experiencing serious symptoms of salmonella should call their health care provider. Most people recover without specific treatment and should not take antibiotics, the agency noted.
The agency urged consumers not to eat any of the recalled cucumbers and to wash any items or surfaces that may have touched a recalled cucumber with hot, soapy water or a dishwasher.
“If you recently purchased cucumbers and have them at home, you can check with the store where you purchased them to see if they were part of the recall. If you can’t tell, don’t eat them.” , the CDC said.