An Outbreak of 68 Salmonella Enteritidis Cases in Nine States has been Traced to Wawona Peaches
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced yet another Salmonella outbreak. The FDA has declared an ongoing investigation in regards to the numerous confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis found across multiple states. The initial cases were traced back through epidemiological methods. Health officials discovered a likely connection between the Salmonella Enteritis cases and bagged peaches sold by ALDI’s. The peaches of concern were sold by ALDI’s between June 1, 2020 and August 19, 2020, when ALDI issued a voluntary recall on their Wawona-brand 2 pound, bagged peaches sold in clear plastic bags. An image of the bagged peaches and their packaging can be viewed here.
On August 19, 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that there are a total of 68 cases of illness, 14 hospitalizations, and 0 deaths, due to the Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak. The 9 states with confirmed cases are IA, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WI. The following states have been confirmed to have also had the recalled peaches shipped to various grocery and retail locations; CT, IA, IL, KY, MA, MI, MN, ND, NH, NY, OH, RI, SD, VT, WI, and WV.
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that was first discovered in 1885, by an American scientist by the name of Dr. Daniel E. Salmon. Salmonella is an extremely diverse bacteria with nearly 2,500 defined types. The various types of Salmonella are referred to as serotypes. Scientists define each serotype based on the structures present on the exterior of the bacteria’s surface, as seen through microscopic technology. Despite the vast number of Salmonella serotypes, there are less than 100 that are known to cause human illness.
Salmonella Enteritidis refers to a type of Salmonella which affects the small intestine specifically, causing a range in severity of symptoms including diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and fever. Symptoms begin 6 hours to 6 days after consuming contaminated food, and can last between 4 and 7 days. Salmonellosis can cause severe illness in those with weakened immune systems, sometimes requiring hospitalization. When a patient is hospitalized for Salmonellosis, typically the only treatment available is intravenous hydration, to combat the amount of liquid lost through severe diarrhea, and sometimes antibiotics, depending on the strain and severity of the case.
Anyone in possession of the recalled bagged peaches from ALDI’s are directed to discard them immediately and exercise careful hygiene to prevent the further spread of Salmonella.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6515828/
