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Tomatoes, Jalape??o Peppers, Serrano Peppers, and Cilantro still linked to Salmonella Saintpaul Illnesses in United States and Canada

By Marler Clark LLP

According to the CDC since April, 1237 persons infected genetic fingerprint have been identified in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. These were identified because clinical laboratories in all states send Salmonella strains from ill persons to their State public health laboratory for characterization. One new state, Montana, reported a case. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (2 persons), Arkansas (16), Arizona (54), California (9), Colorado (16), Connecticut (4), Florida (3), Georgia (28), Idaho (6), Illinois (113), Indiana (18), Iowa (2), Kansas (19), Kentucky (2), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Maryland (36), Massachusetts (28), Michigan (24), Minnesota (22), Mississippi (2), Missouri (20), Montana (1), New Hampshire (5), Nevada (12), New Jersey (12), New Mexico (102), New York (38), North Carolina (23), Ohio (10), Oklahoma (25), Oregon (10), Pennsylvania (12), Rhode Island (3), South Carolina (2), Tennessee (9), Texas (475), Utah (2), Virginia (31), Vermont (2), Washington (17), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (13), and the District of Columbia (1). Five ill persons are reported from Canada; four appear to have been infected while traveling in the United States, and one illness remains under investigation.

Also, according to the CDC, Illnesses have been linked to consumption of an "item" containing fresh tomatoes and fresh jalapeño peppers.  Illnesses were also linked to an "item" containing fresh jalapeño peppers and no other of the suspect items.  The accumulated data from all investigations indicate that jalapeño peppers caused some illnesses but that they do not explain all illnesses.  Raw tomatoes, fresh serrano peppers, and fresh cilantro also remain under investigation.

The FDA has a slightly different take on this:

Consumers may resume enjoying any type of fresh tomato, including raw red plum, raw red Roma, and raw red round tomatoes.

While we are changing our consumer guidance about tomatoes, we reiterate our guidance to consumers that those in vulnerable populations (infants, the elderly, and immune-compromised people) should avoid eating jalapeño and serrano peppers as the investigation continues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that many, but not all, of the people who have become ill during the outbreak also reported eating jalapeño or serrano peppers.

Full post as published by Salmonella Blog on September 24, 2008 (boomark / email).