Tomato Salmonella cases hit 756
Pastor Dale Morgan
Tomato Salmonella cases hit 756*
From correspondents in Washington
June 27, 2008 09:24am
Article from: Reuters
MORE than 750 people have become ill in an outbreak of Salmonella linked
to certain types of tomatoes, US food safety officials said.
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said 756 people in 34
states and the District of Columbia have been infected with a rare
strain of bacteria known as Salmonella Saintpaul. Of them, 95 people
have been hospitalised.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement that no
deaths have been attributed to the illness.
"However, a man in his sixties who died in Texas from cancer had an
infection with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul at the time
of his death. The infection may have contributed to his death," the CDC
said.
Investigators are still trying to find the source of the contamination.
Health officials said last Friday they expected more people to become
ill because the outbreak is probably still under way.
Texas has been the hardest hit with 330 people becoming ill, followed by
New Mexico with 80 cases.
Officials linked the outbreak to raw plum, Roma and round tomatoes. They
have said this may be the largest US outbreak of Salmonella infections
from tomatoes.
According to the Centres for Disease Control, Salmonella Saintpaul is
uncommon. The CDC sees about 400 cases of Saintpaul infections in humans
each year.
Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal
pain, according to the FDA.