Another Salmonella Outbreak, Mexican Style
A Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 68 people in 10 states is the latest in a recent string of foodborne illness outbreaks linked to Mexican-style food.
On January 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first and final report on a multi-state Mexican fast food outbreak but did not name the restaurant chain.
Those with confirmed cases of the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis in each state is as follows: Texas (43), Oklahoma (16), Kansas (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (1), Ohio (1), and Tennessee (1). Investigators were unable to identify the specific food source of the outbreak, but say that the contamination likely occurred before the product reached the restaurant locations.
According to the CDC, restaurants are the most commonly identiļ¬ed setting for foodborne outbreaks. Recent outbreaks associated with Mexican-style restaurants include:
- A December 2011 Salmonella outbreak linked to Don Julio Mexican Restaurant in Corinth, MIss. that that sickened 59 patrons and staff.
- A September 2011 Salmonella outbreak linked to a Mexican restaurant in Grandville, Mich. that sickened at least one patron.
- Two August 2010 Salmonella outbreaks linked to a Mexican-style fast food chain that sickened at least 155 people in 18 states.
Salmonella is a bacteria that, if ingested, can cause an infection called salmonellosis. About 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported annually n the United States, but because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be thirty times that number, according to the CDC.
Salmonellosis symptoms usually develop 12 to 72 hours after infection and include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps lasting four to seven days. In some cases, hospitalization is required. Those most at risk are young children, the elderly and the immunocompromised.
If you have legal questions about an illness you believe is associated with this outbreak, contact a Salmonella lawyer at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.
