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Salmonella Litchfield Cases in Washington Linked to Cantaloupe

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

According to the Washington State Department of Health,cantaloupe from Honduras grown by Agropecuaria Montelibano has been implicated in dozens of Salmonella Litchfield illnesses across 16 states, including nine cases of salmonellosis in Washington.

The outbreak of Salmonella Litchfield illnesses has affected families in King, Lewis, Thurston, Pierce, and Spokane counties. Five of the nine Washington cases were hospitalized. There have been no deaths reported associated with the outbreak.

The FDA issued an import alert on Saturday for Agropecuaria Montelibano brand cantaloupe.  Although FDA recommended retailers and others not to sell this Honduran brand of cantaloupe, consumers should be wary and ask if the cantaloupe is this Honduran brand.  If you have cantaloupe at home and are not sure if it is this brand that may be contaminated with Salmonella Litchfield, contact the store where you purchased it.

The Washington State Department of Health is recommending:

Anyone that has cantaloupe under that brand name should not eat it; if it’s not possible to identify the brand or determine if it came from Honduras, cantaloupe should be thrown away.

It is thought that most melon contamination is on the rind and is transferred to the inside when a knife cuts through it. The state Department of Health recommends scrubbing the rinds of melons before cutting them up to eat. Rinse the rind with cool water and scrub the outside. Melon that has been cut-up should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Cantaloupe and other melons can grow bacteria on cut surfaces, so the cut melon should always be refrigerated and kept cool.

Symptoms of Salmonella Litchfield illness (salmonelllosis) include severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever, chills, abdominal discomfort, and occasionally vomiting. The symptoms generally appear one to three days after exposure. Salmonellosis can be very serious for the young or elderly. Anyone with serious symptoms should consult a health care provider.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on March 25, 2008 (boomark / email).