Imported Cucumbers Linked to Salmonella Outbreak in 18 States

ATLANTAThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a total of 73 persons in 18 states have been confirmed infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul that has been linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico.

Preliminary epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies indicate that exposure to imported cucumbers supplied by Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico and distributed by Tricar Sales, Inc. of Rio Rico, Ariz., is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul infections.

On April 24, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico on Import Alert. Cucumbers from the two firms will be denied admission into the United States unless the suppliers show that they are not contaminated with Salmonella.

Among persons for whom information was available, illness onset dates range from Jan. 12, 2013, to April 6, 2013. Ill persons range in age from less than 1 year to 80 years, with a median age of 23 years. Illnesses have been confirmed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.