Salmonella Death in California from Contaminated Turkey
A California man is the first person to die in the 26-state Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak associated with ground turkey products. The man lived in Sacramento, according to California health officials. Five other people in California were also sickened in the outbreak.
California counties with Salmonella victims include:
- Sacramento (2)
- Los Angeles (1)
- San Francisco (1)
- Riverside (1)
- San Diego (1).
State and federal health officials have only warned consumers about this outbreak and the possible link to ground turkey. There has not been a recall of potentially contaminated products, nor have health officials let the public know the products involved in the outbreak to prevent illness. This is particularly troubling because the Salmonella Heidelberg strain involved in this outbreak is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics. This antibiotic resistance can increase the risk of hospitalization, treatment failure (wrongful death) and future medical issues.
This is the second time this year that ground turkey has been linked to a Salmonella outbreak. From December 2010 to March of 2011, 12 people, including one from California, were sickened by Jennie-O frozen turkey burgers contaminated with drug-resistant Salmonella Hadar. In response to the outbreak, on April 1, 2011, Jennie-O Turkey Store®, in Willmar, Minnesota, recalled approximately 54,960 pounds of frozen, raw turkey burger products.
Salmonella lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are investigating this outbreak for a possible turkey Salmonella lawsuit. Our firm is accepting cases from California and other states. To pursue a claim, individuals and families who have been affected by the outbreak may call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or provide us with your contact information. PritzkerOlsen is one of the few law firms in the U.S. that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness and our attorneys are sought after for appearances at food safety conferences and by national health reporters covering outbreaks of foodborne illness.
