New Listeria outbreak posted; patient count in Salmonella outbreak increases significantly

The FDA has identified a new outbreak of Listeria infections, but the source is unknown.

The Food and Drug Administration has initiated traceback efforts for the Listeria outbreak but has not reported what food or foods are being traced. So far, two patients have been identified, which is the minimum number for an outbreak to be declared. The FDA has not released any information on the patients, such as ages or states of residence.

For an outbreak of Salmonella Africana infections, the patient count has jumped to 141, up from 100 since the outbreak was first reported on May 22. The FDA has not reported the ages of the patients or where they live. Also, the agency has not reported whether any of the patients have required hospitalization.

No source has yet been identified for the outbreak of rare Salmonella infections. The FDA has initiated traceback efforts, but the agency has not reported what food or foods are being traced.

In other outbreak news, the FDA continues investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections traced to organic walnuts. As of the agency’s most recent update on April 30, 12 patients had been confirmed, with seven of them requiring hospitalization.

The FDA has identified the source of the E. coli as organic walnuts from Gibson Farms Inc. of Hollister, CA. The organic walnuts were distributed in natural food stores and co-ops in the following states: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. They were sold in bulk bins and may have been repackaged in containers that do not specify a brand or producer. 

For an outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to fresh basil, the patient count remains steady at 12. One patient has required hospitalization.

The outbreak was traced to fresh basil produced by Infinite Herbs, LLC, of Miami, FL. The company initiated a recall for the basil, which was sold at Trader Joe’s stores and Fruit Center Marketplace. The company expanded the recall to include Melissa ’s-brand organic basil sold at Dierberg’s stores.

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