WASHINGTON- Cucumbers contaminated with salmonella bacteria may have caused dozens of people to become ill and hospitalized in at least 25 states, U.S. health officials said Wednesday.
Tests detected salmonella bacteria in a cucumber distributed by Fresh Start Produce of Delray Beach, Florida, which last week recalled cucumbers shipped to some states from May 17 to 21, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disease Prevention (CDC). More testing is being done to see if that strain of salmonella is causing the outbreak. The products should no longer be available in stores.
The CDC received reports of 162 cases of people getting sick with salmonella potentially linked to cucumbers in 25 states and Washington, D.C., recorded between March 11 and May 16. At least 54 people were hospitalized, the agency said. No deaths were reported.
Consumers should not eat recalled cucumbers. People who recently purchased cucumbers should check with the store where they purchased them to see if they are part of the recall. Products and surfaces where they may have been in contact should be washed, using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
Investigation
The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are also investigating an outbreak of a second type of salmonella that has sickened at least 158 people in more than two dozen states to see if it is related to the same food. The outbreaks share several similarities, the agencies said.
Salmonella can cause symptoms that begin six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria and include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment within a week, but young children, people over 65, and those with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill.
Source: AP
