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Elliot Olsen’s experience representing people sickened by Salmonella spans decades, and he has regained millions of dollars in compensation. If you or a family member became sick after ingesting contaminated kratom, please call (612) 337-6126, or complete the following:
Contaminated kratom, an herbal drug, continues to spread Salmonella across the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added 45 more names to the roll in the past few days. Those 45 additional cases of Salmonella infection have been confirmed since the last update on March 15, the CDC said.
The current totals: 132 people sickened across 38 states, with 38 victims requiring hospitalization. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported.
Contaminated kratom:
Outbreak began in October
This Salmonella outbreak – which first made headlines February 20 – started as early as last October, according to the CDC. People who have become sick in the outbreak range in age from 1 to 73 years old; the median age is 38. Males make up 54 percent of the roll.
Four strains of Salmonella have been identified in the outbreak:
- Salmonella I 4,[5],12:b:- (61 cases)
- Salmonella Javiana (15)
- Salmonella Okatie (21)
- Salmonella Thompson (35).
The CDC is recommending that people not consume any form of kratom. People who have become sick in the outbreak have reported purchasing kratom from brick-and-mortar retail locations as well as online.
Contaminated kratom continues to spread Salmonella across the country. The CDC reports that the total number of infected people is 132 across 38 states, with 38 victims hospitalized.
Contaminated kratom:
Info about the herbal drug
Kratom trees, which are grown in Southeast Asia, produce leaves that have been used to relieve pain for centuries. The leaves can be eaten raw, but they are more often crushed and brewed as tea or turned into pills and liquids.
Kratom acts as both a stimulant (when consumed in small doses) and a sedative (when consumed in larger amounts). The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) said an overdose of the herbal drug can lead to psychotic symptoms and psychological addiction.
Advocates, however, say kratom offers relief from pain, depression, and anxiety. Some scientists believe it could play an important role in treating chronic pain. They also suggest it could be used to combat opioid addiction.
The DEA, though, moved to ban the sale of kratom last September, citing an “imminent hazard to public safety.” DEA officials had announced they wanted to make kratom a “Schedule 1” drug, which would put it in a category with ecstasy, heroin, LSD, and marijuana. That decision was delayed after members of Congress urged the DEA to give the public a chance to comment.
The CDC reports that, from 2010 to 2015, about 42 percent of kratom usage required medical treatment. None of those cases, however, involved life-threatening symptoms.
About 7 percent of exposures were classified as life-threatening. DEA statistics show 15 kratom-related deaths between 2014 and 2016.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), kratom is called many different names, including: Mitragyna speciosa, mitragynine extract, biak-biak, cratom, gratom, ithang, kakuam, katawn, kedemba, ketum, krathom, krton, mambog, madat, Maeng da leaf, nauclea, Nauclea speciosa, or thang.
Contaminated kratom:
Info about Salmonella
Salmonella bacteria produce an illness called salmonellosis, which affects the intestinal tract. CDC statistics show that Salmonella sicken as many as 1 million Americans on a yearly basis.
Salmonellosis can develop anywhere from 12 hours to three days after Salmonella have been ingested. Symptoms can last as long as a week; they can include:
- diarrhea and abdominal pain
- vomiting
- fever and chills.
Most people recover on their own, but sometimes diarrhea becomes so severe that hospitalization is necessary. Of the 1 million annual cases of infection, the CDC says 19,000 victims will need to be hospitalized. About 380 people will die.
Those most at risk for complications are children younger than 5 years old, women who are pregnant, the elderly, and people with suppressed immune systems.
Complications of Salmonella
Complications can occur when Salmonella enter the bloodstream. Those complications can include:
- meningitis, which is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
- endocarditis, which is an infection of the heart’s inner lining, and usually involves the heart valves.
- osteomyelitis, which is an inflammation of bones that usually targets the legs, arms, or spine.
- reactive arthritis (also known as Reiter’s syndrome), which is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to an infection in another part of the body.
Pregnant women must be especially vigilant. They are at a higher risk for contracting salmonellosis because their immune systems are suppressed due to hormonal changes. Salmonella complications during a pregnancy can result in miscarriage, premature labor, or stillbirth.
