Eight new cases reported in the multistate Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to cucumbers
In a follow-up to a April 25 report, the multistate outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul has increased to 81 cases, up eight from from the initial report, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outbreak update yesterday.
The new cases have been reported from Arizona (2), Minnesota (1), North Carolina (2), Ohio (2), and Virginia (1).
Of the 81 people infected, 16 have required hospitalization for their illness. No deaths have been reported.
According to the federal health agency, consumption of imported cucumbers is the likely source of infection for the ill persons.
On April 24, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration placed Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico on Import Alert.
Cucumbers from these two firms will be denied admission into the United States unless the suppliers show that they are not contaminated with Salmonella.
The tainted cucumbers were distributed by Tricar Sales, Inc. of Rio Rico, Arizona.
Salmonella is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Children are especially susceptible because they frequently put their fingers into their mouths and because their immune systems are still developing.
In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
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