An outbreak of infections from Salmonella Typhimurium is slowly growing according to the FDA, and an investigation into an outbreak of E. coli infections has been closed.
For the Salmonella outbreak, the number of patients has increased from 264 to 269, but the Food and Drug Administration has not reported the patients’ states of residence.
The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not revealed what food or foods are being traced. The FDA has begun sample collection and analysis, but has not revealed what is being collected or sampled.
For the E. coli outbreak investigation that has been closed, the agency found 11 patients but did not identify a source for the pathogen. The FDA conducted traceback but did not reveal what food or foods were traced. The agency did not report the patients’ states of residence.
For an outbreak of infections from Listeria monocytogenes in enoki mushrooms the FDA reported that the CDC has confirmed two patients, one in Michigan and one in Nevada. Both have required hospitalization. The most recent illness onset was Nov. 15.
“Investigators are working to identify specific brands of enoki mushrooms that may be linked to these illnesses,” according to an outbreak announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.”
Also, it can take up to 70 days for symptoms to develop, and the CDC says it can take three to four weeks to determine whether a person is part of an outbreak.
Other ongoing FDA outbreak investigations
- For a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak from Brie and Camembert cheese an Outbreak Advisory was issued on Sept. 30. Recall information was updated on Oct. 28. It reported that seven patients from six different states have been confirmed ill. Five have been hospitalized, according to the CDC.
- For an outbreak of infections from Salmonella traced to seafood the FDA continues to work on the investigation with the CDC. A total of 33 patients in California, Illinois and Arizona have been confirmed, with 13 of them requiring hospitalization. Several varieties of seafood totaling more than 150 tons and supplied by Mariscos Bahia, Inc. have been recalled.
- The FDA has begun traceback and sample collection in an outbreak of E. coli O121:H19 linked to frozen falafel sold at Aldi stores in 36 states. At least 20 people had been confirmed sick as of Oct. 7, the date of the most recent update. Sick people have been confirmed in Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The most recent illness onset was Sept. 13.
- An outbreak investigation continues for infections from Cronobacter in at least four infants, two of whom died. The outbreak has been determined to be over by the CDC but is it still under investigation. The babies consumed infant formula made by Abbott Nutrition’s plant in Sturgis, MI. The company says its internal tests have not found the pathogen and denies any ties to the illnesses or deaths.
Click here to go to the FDA page with links to specific outbreak details. The investigations are in a variety of stages. Some outbreaks have limited information with active investigations ongoing, others may be near completion.
A public health advisory will be issued for investigations that have resulted in specific, actionable steps for consumers to take to protect themselves, according to the FDA. Please direct your attention to those pages for the most up-to-date information on the investigation and for consumer protection information.
Outbreak and adverse event investigations that do not result in specific, actionable steps for consumers may or may not conclusively identify a source or reveal any contributing factors. Adverse event investigations rely on self-reported data. Although these reports may name a particular product, FDA will only indicate a product category in the table and will not publicly name a specific product until there is sufficient evidence to implicate that product as a cause of illnesses or adverse events. If a cause and/or contributing factors are identified that could inform future prevention, FDA commits to providing a summary of those findings.
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