Sep 13, 2012
Second Salmonella strain found in cantaloupe-linked outbreak
A Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe from an Indiana farm has climbed to 270 cases, an increase of 66 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) last update on Aug 30. The new total includes 30 people with Salmonella Newport infections that were identified as related to the outbreak, the CDC said in an update today. Initially, the outbreak involved only Salmonella Typhimurium. Illnesses have been reported in 26 states, an increase of 4 from the CDC's last outbreak. So far 101 patients have been hospitalized, and one more death has been reported, pushing that total to three. Tests conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on samples of cantaloupes from Chamberlain Farms yielded Salmonella Newport with a genetic pattern that matched the cluster of 30 illnesses added to the outbreak total, so the CDC has combined the two investigations.
Sep 13 CDC outbreak
update
In another development, Indiana officials who tested samples of watermelon grown at the farm found a different strain of Salmonella Newport that is linked to a cluster of 25 illnesses in 8 states, the Associated Press (AP) reported yesterday. State and federal officials are currently investigating those illnesses to determine if there is a link to eating watermelon from Chamberlain Farms.
Sep 12 AP story
Whole Foods Market recalls ricotta in 21 states
Whole Foods Market yesterday recalled Ricotta Salata Frescolina cheese from its stores in 21 states and Washington, DC, the FDA said yesterday. The supplier of the cheese, Forever Cheese Inc., of Long Island City, NY, recalled the brand because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, which has caused 14 cases of illness in 11 states so far. The cheese in question at Whole Foods is sold in clear plastic-wrapped wedges with labels marked PLU 293427 and "sell by" dates through Oct 2, according to the FDA notice. Whole Foods Market stores in the following states are affected: Alabama (1 store), Arizona (2), California (2), Colorado (2), Florida (5), Georgia (4), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Maryland (6), North Carolina (7), New Jersey (2), New Mexico (2), New York (2), Ohio (2), Oregon (6), Pennsylvania (5), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (3), Utah (1), Virginia (6), and Washington (6), as well as Washington, DC (3).
Sep
12 FDA notice
Sep 11 CIDRAP News Scan on the outbreak
