Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/kiambu-07-17/index.html [h=1]Multistate Outbreak of
Salmonella Kiambu and
Salmonella Thompson Infections Linked to Imported Maradol Papayas[/h]
Posted August 7, 2017 9:30 AM ET
[h=3]What's New?[/h]
- The outbreak investigation has expanded to include another strain of Salmonella.
- Sixty-four more ill people from 15 states were added to this investigation since the last update on July 21, 2017.
- Six more states have reported ill people: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin
- Laboratory tests showed that the strain of Salmonella Thompson isolated from papayas collected in Maryland is closely related genetically to clinical isolates from ill people.
- FDA tested other papayas imported from Mexico and found they were contaminated with several types of Salmonella.
[h=3]Highlights[/h]
- Read the Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers >>
- CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Kiambu and Salmonella Thompson infections.
- A total of 109 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Kiambu (48) or Salmonella Thompson (61) have been reported from 16 states.
- Thirty-five ill people have been hospitalized. One death has been reported from New York City.
- Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicates that Maradol papayas imported from Mexico are the likely source of this multistate outbreak.
- At this time, Caribe?a brand papayas from Mexico have been identified as one brand linked to the outbreak. On July 26, Grande Produce recalled Caribe?a brand Maradol papayas that were distributed between July 10 and July 19, 2017.
- Through testing, the FDA has also identified Maradol papayas from the Carica de Campeche papaya farm in Mexico as a likely source of the outbreak. On August 5, Agroson?s LLC recalled certain Cavi brand Maradol papayas grown and packed by Carica de Campeche. The agency is working to identify other brands of papayas that may have originated from Carica de Campeche and facilitate recalls.
- CDC recommends that consumers not eat, restaurants not serve, and retailers not sell Maradol papayas from Mexico until we learn more.
- If you aren?t sure if the papaya you bought is a Maradol papaya from Mexico, you can ask the place of purchase. Restaurants and retailers can ask their supplier.
- When in doubt, don?t eat, sell, or serve them and throw them out.
- Wash and sanitize countertops as well as drawers or shelves in refrigerators where papayas were stored.
- This investigation is ongoing. CDC will provide updates when more information is available.
[h=3]August 4, 2017[/h] [h=4]Introduction[/h] Since the last update on July 21, 2017, 64 more ill people were added to this investigation from 15 states.
As of August 3, 2017, 109 people infected with the outbreak strains of
Salmonella Kiambu (48) and
Salmonella Thompson (61) have been reported from 16 states. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the
Case Count Map page.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 17, 2017 to July 22, 2017. Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 95, with a median age of 36. Among ill people, 63% are female. Among 74 people with available information, 50 (68%) are of Hispanic ethnicity. Among 76 people with available information, 35 (46%) were hospitalized. One death was reported from New York City.
This outbreak can be illustrated with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day. This chart is called an epidemic curve or
epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after July 10, 2017 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks. Please see the
Timeline for Reporting Cases of Salmonella Infection for more details.
[h=4]Investigation Update[/h] In ongoing interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Of the 59 interviewed, 28 (47%) reported eating papayas. This proportion was significantly higher than results from a
survey[PDF ? 29 pages] of healthy Hispanic people in which 16% reported eating papayas in the months of May and June in the week before they were interviewed.
Investigators used
whole genome sequencing (WGS) to learn more about the DNA fingerprint of the strains of
Salmonella isolated from Maradol papayas that Maryland health officials collected from a grocery store in that state. Samples from these papayas yielded outbreak strains of
Salmonella Kiambu and
Salmonella Thompson. Both samples were from Caribe?a brand Maradol papayas imported from Mexico. Investigators compared WGS results of
Salmonella isolates from the papayas to clinical isolates from ill people in the PulseNet database.
WGS showed that the
Salmonella Kiambu papaya isolate is closely related genetically to
Salmonella Kiambu isolates from ill people. WGS also showed that the
Salmonella Thompson papaya isolate is closely related genetically to
Salmonella Thompson isolates from ill people. This result provides more evidence that people in this outbreak got sick from eating contaminated Maradol papayas imported from Mexico.
FDA tested other papayas imported from Mexico and isolated several types of
Salmonella, including
Salmonella Agona,
Salmonella Kiambu,
Salmonella Gaminara,
Salmonella Thompson, and
Salmonella Senftenberg. Through this testing, the FDA has also identified Maradol papayas from the Carica de Campeche papaya farm in Mexico as a likely source of the outbreak.
On August 5, Agroson?s LLC
recalled certain Cavi brand Maradol papayas grown and packed by Carica de Campeche. The Cavi brand carries a purple, green and black sticker with the words ?cavi MEXICO 4395? in white. Only certain lot codes of Cavi brand Maradol papayas were recalled, because they were known to come from Carica de Campeche. Boxes provided to wholesalers are stamped with CARICA DE CAMPECHE on the upper left side of the box. Other Cavi papayas, sourced from other farms, were not recalled.
FDA is working to identify other brands of papayas that may have originated from Carica de Campeche and facilitate recalls. More information is available on FDA?s website.
CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill people and to interview them. Further investigation by FDA and regulatory officials is under way to determine the point in the supply chain where the papayas were contaminated. Updates will be provided when more information is available.