2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak
![CDC map of cases per million residents](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/CDC_tomato_map3.png/350px-CDC_tomato_map3.png)
The 2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak was an outbreak of
Outbreak
From April 10 to August 31, 2008, Salmonella enterica serovar Saintpaul caused at least 1442 cases of
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Contamination Source
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/No_Tomatoes.jpg/260px-No_Tomatoes.jpg)
In May, 2008 the CDC,
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As other clusters of illness were identified, case-control studies were again performed to investigate the outbreak source. A multi-state case-control study in late June, 2008 associated illness with consumption of
In July, 2008 the CDC isolated the outbreak strain of Salmonella from jalapeño peppers at a distributor that distributed to restaurants associated with the outbreak, and found that the peppers had likely been imported from a farm in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Later that month, the outbreak strain was isolated from serrano peppers from another farm in Tamaulipas. The outbreak strain could not be isolated from tomato samples from either of these farms, or any distributor that the CDC investigated.[2]
From all of this, the CDC concluded that the major sources of contamination were jalapeño peppers and serrano peppers, while tomatoes may have been an additional source early in the outbreak.[1]
The
Response
On June 3, in response to early case-control studies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory recommending that consumers in New Mexico and Texas avoid eating some types of raw tomatoes. On June 7, they expanded this advisory to include consumers nationwide.[5] On July 9, the FDA issued a similar nationwide advisory not to consume raw jalapeño peppers. On July 30, this recommendation was narrowed to peppers grown or packed in Mexico.[5]
In response to the outbreak and the FDA and CDC investigations, some distributors recalled affected produce items. On July 19, Grande Produce, LTD announced a recall of jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers, and avocados which has been distributed between May 17 and July 17.[6] Soon thereafter, on July 21 Agricola Zaragoza, Inc. of Texas announced a recall of jalapeño peppers distributed after June 30.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections Linked to Raw Produce (Final Update)". US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Outbreak of Salmonella Serotype Saintpaul Infections Associated with Multiple Raw Produce Items---United States, 2008". CDC, MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ^ "Cases infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul, United States, by state, as of August 25 2008 9pm EDT". CDC, Salmonella Outbreak Investigations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ^ Fox, Maggie (July 31, 2008). "FDA says Salmonella strain found on Mexican farm". Reuters.
- ^ PMID 21345092.
- ^ "Grande Produce, LTD.CO Recalls Jalapeno Peppers, Serrano Peppers, and Avocados Because of Possible Health Risk". FDA Safety: Recall -- Firm Press Release. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ^ "Agricola Zaragoza, Inc. Recalls Jalapeno Peppers Because of Possible Health Risk". FDA Safety: Recall -- Firm Press Release. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
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