Salmonellosis
- Outbreak Investigation, February 2007
Released March 7, 2007
NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes. The content of this document has not been revised since its original release and therefore may no longer be up to date.
Public health officials in multiple states, with
the assistance of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), are investigating a large multistate outbreak of Salmonella serotype
Tennessee infections. An epidemiologic study comparing foods that ill and well
persons said they ate showed that consumption of Peter Pan peanut butter and
Great Value peanut butter were both statistically associated with illness and
therefore the likely source of the outbreak. Product testing has confirmed
the presence of the outbreak strain of Salmonella Tennessee in opened
jars of peanut butter obtained from ill persons.
FDA has advised consumers not to eat any
Peter Pan peanut butter and not to eat Great
Value peanut butter with a product code beginning
with 2111. Peter Pan peanut butter is made
in a single facility in Georgia. Great
Value peanut butter with a product code beginning
with 2111 is made in the same facility as
Peter Pan peanut butter; Great Value peanut
butter made by other manufacturers is not
affected.
As of March 7th at 12 PM EST, 425 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Tennessee have been reported to CDC from 44 states. Among 351 patients for whom clinical information is available, 71 (20%) were hospitalized. No deaths have been attributed to this infection. Onset dates, which are known for 301 patients, ranged from August 1, 2006 to February 16, 2007, and 67% of these illnesses began after December 1, 2006.
PulseNet (the national subtyping network
for foodborne disease surveillance coordinated
by CDC) detected a slowly rising increase
in cases of Salmonella Tennessee
this fall. OutbreakNet (the national network
of public health officials coordinated by
CDC that investigates enteric disease outbreaks)
then worked for several weeks to identify
this unusual food vehicle.
Public health officials from several states
have isolated Salmonella from open
jars of peanut butter of both Peter Pan and
Great Value brand. For
fifteen
jars, the serotype
has been confirmed as Tennessee and DNA fingerprinting
has shown that the pattern is the outbreak
strain.
FDA officials and the peanut butter manufacturer
are working collaboratively to learn more
about production of peanut butter to determine
how it may have become contaminated.
Persons who think they may have become
ill from eating peanut butter are advised
to consult their health care provider. Persons
who have Peter Pan peanut butter or Great
Value peanut butter with a product code beginning
with 2111 should discard the jar. Local health
departments no longer need to collect jars
for testing.
Most persons infected with Salmonella develop
diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12
to 72 hours after infection. The illness
usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons
recover without treatment. However, in some
persons the diarrhea may be so severe that
the patient needs to be hospitalized. The
elderly, infants, and those with impaired
immune systems are more likely to have a
severe illness.
The states that have reported cases are Alaska (1 case), Alabama (10), Arkansas (3), Arizona (5), California (5), Colorado (13), Connecticut (3), Delaware (1), Florida (7), Georgia (21), Iowa (8), Illinois (11), Indiana (16), Kansas (10), Kentucky (11), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (10), Maryland (2), Maine (1), Michigan (9), Minnesota (7), Missouri (20), Mississippi (6), Montana (2), Nebraska (2), Nevada (1), New Jersey (6), New Mexico (1), New York (48), North Carolina (25), North Dakota (1), Ohio (13), Oklahoma (12), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (30), South Carolina (10), South Dakota (6), Tennessee (19), Texas (16), Virginia (27), Vermont (7), Washington (4), Wisconsin (7), and West Virginia (5).
Advice to Consumers
Additional Resourcess
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