The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating two types of Salmonella outbreaks in the USA, linked to cucumbers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FDA have confirmed 158 patients infected with Salmonella Braenderup, and another group of 162 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Africana, across 25 states and the District of Columbia. The patients range in age from 1 to 92 years old.
The two types of Salmonella have several similarities, including the timing and location of illnesses and the demographics. Investigators are working to determine whether the two outbreaks could be linked to the same food source. Seventy-two percent of patients interviewed reported eating cucumbers before becoming sick. Tests conducted on cucumbers have confirmed the presence of Salmonella. Further testing will determine if it is the same strain of Salmonella.
