A foodborne outbreak initially identified in a limited number of states has expanded to 15 states, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue an urgent food safety alert. The outbreak is linked to alfalfa sprouts and involves simultaneous infections of Salmonella and E. coli.
Wisconsin officials first identified the alfalfa sprouts as the source of the outbreak, reporting 17 illnesses and one hospitalization. Neighboring Minnesota also reported 23 cases. At the time, the outbreak appeared to be regional and was not listed on the CDC's national outbreak page.
However, on Friday, the CDC announced that illnesses connected to the sprouts have now been reported in 55 cases nationwide, with four hospitalizations. Among these, two individuals have contracted both Salmonella and E. coli.
The affected products are alfalfa sprouts distributed by Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands. Health officials are advising consumers to check their homes for these sprouts and discard them immediately. Individuals who may have consumed the sprouts are urged to monitor for symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and low-grade fever, and to seek medical attention if symptoms become severe.
This multi-pathogen outbreak adds to a series of ongoing foodborne illnesses being tracked by federal health agencies. The CDC or FDA is currently monitoring at least four Salmonella outbreaks and two E. coli outbreaks. One Salmonella outbreak has been traced to jalapenos, another to turtles, and a third to shelled eggs. An E. coli outbreak has been linked to frozen blueberries.
Nationwide, the jalapeno-related Salmonella outbreak has sickened 431 people across 32 states, with 57 hospitalizations. The turtle-linked Salmonella outbreak has resulted in eight cases and three hospitalizations in six states. The shelled egg-related Salmonella outbreak has affected 98 people across 17 states, leading to 26 hospitalizations. The E. coli outbreak linked to frozen blueberries has caused 12 cases and four hospitalizations in two states.
Separately, a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, initially linked to shredded iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico, has sickened nearly 16,000 people and caused two deaths across 47 states. Despite federal assurances that the vegetable is now safe to consume, testing has not yielded positive results for the cyclospora parasite from the supplier's samples.