Foster Farms Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella outbreak continues at one year mark, 51 new cases reported
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting 51 new cases of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg infections likely related to Foster Farms chicken today, just days after the first case were reported on Mar. 1, 2013.
Image/CDC
As of February 28, 2014, a total of 481 persons infected with seven outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 25 states and Puerto Rico, since March 1, 2013, the federal health agency notes. Three-quarters of all the cases are reported from California.
Since mid-January, a total of 51 new ill persons have been reported from 5 states: Arizona (3), California (44), Hawaii (1), Tennessee (1), and Utah (2).
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by local, state, and federal officials indicate that consumption of Foster Farms brand chicken is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections.
The illnesses are tied to chicken processed at three Foster Farms plants in California. Foster Farms did not issue a recall for any of the chicken from those plants, but allegedly implemented unspecified additional safety measures according to a request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg are resistant to several commonly prescribed antibiotics.
For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page and the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show page.
