CDC Still Hunting Source Of Outbreak As Salmonella Cases Hit 29 States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still investigating a salmonella outbreak that has spread to 29 states across the US, it revealed in its latest update on the matter. The agency is working with local and state officials to hunt down the source of the outbreak, which has potentially been narrowed down to a set of different herbs and vegetables.

The outbreak involves the strain Salmonella Oranienburg; the CDC first identified the issue on September 2 when there were 20 reported infections. The agency notes that the number of cases involving this salmonella strain has "grown rapidly" in the weeks since then.

In an update on September 21, the CDC said that 279 people had become infected as part of this outbreak across 29 states, with the earliest infections reported on August 3. The infections were reported in patients aged 1 to 89 years, with 26 people ultimately hospitalized but no deaths reported.

The CDC notes that many more people were likely infected by the pathogen than reported and that cases may be present in states that haven't yet been identified. Many people, fortunately, are able to recover from salmonella infections without seeking medical care, though the illness can be serious in some people.

In its latest update on September 24, the CDC said that while the source of this outbreak still hasn't been found, there are some potential causes. Testing of food samples resulted in a positive hit for the salmonella outbreak strain in a condiment cup from a takeout meal. Unfortunately, that cup contained onions, cilantro, and lime, and the CDC says it isn't possible two know which of the three foods were contaminated.