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A salmonella outbreak connected to raw flour has infected 12 people in 11 different states, with three forced to be hospitalized due to their illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Aside from Virginia, illnesses have also been reported in:
- New York;
- Ohio;
- Tennessee;
- Illinois (two);
- Missouri;
- Iowa;
- Minnesota;
- Nebraska;
- Oregon;
- California.
Sick people are between the ages of 12 and 81, according to the CDC, with a median age of 64. They are predominantly (92 percent) women. Eight are white, two are Asian, of the patients who reported their race.
No deaths have been reported.
The CDC is working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine a specific brand of flour that has led to the outbreak by collecting different types of data to identify the source.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” according to officials.
“This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
State and local public health officials are in the process of interviewing people about the foods they consumed before they got sick.
Of the seven interviewed so far, six reported eating raw dough or batter, and flour was the only common ingredient in what they said they ate. They are now attempting to see if there is a link to the brands of raw flour.
Consumption of food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours of eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.
Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness.
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