Sick with Salmonella?
Call (612) 337-6126
Elliot Olsen has regained millions of dollars for people sickened by Salmonella; he has four clients sickened in the recent Salmonella outbreak from contaminated eggs. If you or a family member became ill in this pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak, please call (612) 337-6126, or complete the following:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the list of states potentially affected by a pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak, increasing the total to 22.
The list of states where the pre-cut melon was distributed includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The pre-cut melon was produced at a Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis and packaged in clear, plastic containers. The fruit was sold by numerous retailers, including Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Pay Less Super Markets, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods/Amazon. The list of stores where the products were sold can be found here.
The products were shipped by Caito Foods between April 17 and June 7. All of the packages had a “best used by” date of June 16.
The FDA is investigating the pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak with the assistance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and dozens of state and local health departments.
The FDA has expanded the list of states potentially affected by a pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak, increasing the total to 22. The pre-cut melon was produced at a Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis and packaged in clear, plastic containers.
Pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak: 60 sick, 31 hospitalized
The most recent numbers from the CDC put the number of people sickened in the pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak at 60, with 31 hospitalized, in five states. No deaths have been reported.
Five Midwestern states are reporting illnesses: Illinois (6), Indiana (11), Michigan (32), Missouri (10), and Ohio (1).
People sickened by pre-cut melon said they ate pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon or a fruit salad mix that contained melon. Most of the victims purchased the pre-cut melon at Walmart or Kroger outlets.
Pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak: CDC statement
The pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak first made headlines on June 8. On that date, the CDC released a statement that reads, in part:
“On June 8, 2018, Caito Foods, LLC recalled fresh cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut fruit medley products containing one of these melons produced at the Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“Recalled products were distributed to Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio.
“Recalled products were sold in clear, plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon.
“The investigation is ongoing to determine if products went to additional stores or states.”
Pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak: other statistics
Statistics from the CDC reveal that illnesses began on dates ranging from April 30 to May 28. Other statistics:
- People who have become ill range in age from less than 1 year old to 97 years old.
- The median age of people who have become sickened is 67 years old.
- Sixty-five percent of victims are female.
Illnesses that occurred after May 20 might not have been reported yet because of the amount of time it takes from when a person becomes sick to when the sickness is reported. This takes an average of two to four weeks.
Pre-cut melon Salmonella outbreak: salmonellosis info
Salmonella bacteria produce salmonellosis, which affects the intestinal tract and develops from 12 hours to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Symptoms of salmonellosis, which generally last as long as a week, usually include:
- diarrhea, which can be bloody
- severe abdominal pain
- vomiting
- fever
- chills.
Most people who become sick with salmonellosis recover without needing to see their doctor. However, diarrhea can become so severe that hospitalization is necessary.
About 450 deaths a year
Salmonella sicken an average of 1.2 million Americans a year, the CDC reports. About 23,000 victims will need to be hospitalized, and 450 of them will die.
People most at risk for complications are pregnant women, children under the age of 5, senior citizens, and people with weakened immune systems.
Salmonellosis complications
When Salmonella bacteria enter the bloodstream, complications can occur, such as:
- 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 that usually involves the heart valves.
- osteomyelitis, which is bone inflammation that generally targets the legs, arms, or spine.
- reactive arthritis, also called Reiter’s syndrome, which is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to Salmonella in another part of the body.
