The CDC today issued its latest update on the outbreak of antibiotic resistant Salmonella Heidelberg linked to Cargill turkey products.
The CDC provided the breakdown of the now 111 reported cases, including one death, in 31 states between February 27 and August 9, 2011. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Arizona (3), California (6), Colorado (3), Georgia (2), Illinois (14), Indiana (1), Iowa (2), Kansas (1), Kentucky (2), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (1), Michigan (12), Minnesota (2), Mississippi (1), Missouri (4), Nebraska (2), Nevada (1), New York (2), North Carolina (3), Ohio (10), Oklahoma (2), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (5), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (2), Texas (15), Utah (1), and Wisconsin (4).
As a result of the outbreak, Cargill is now embroiled in litigation, as Marler Clark filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Oregon this week. The outbreak has also led to the recall of more than 36,000,000 pounds of turkey. Consumers can review a list of recalled products.
The CDC has also revealed that “Cultures of five ground turkey samples purchased from five retail locations between March 7 and June 27, 2011, yielded Salmonella Heidelberg with the outbreak strain.”