turkey.jpgThe Salmonella outbreak linked to Jennie-O turkey that was announced yesterday is not the first such outbreak linked to turkey.   Jennie-O is recaling approximately 54,960 pounds of frozen, raw turkey burger products in the wake of 12 Salmonella Hadar infections in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin.

In fact, a prior turkey outbreak involved the very same strain of bacteria.  An outbreak of Salmonella hadar in Minnesota in 2008 that left three persons hospitalized was traced back to turkey.

In addition, a major outbreak of Salmonella entertitidis was traced to turkey in South Carolina in 2005.  This outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis from turkey prepared in a restaurant was identified as  one of the biggest in South Carolina history.  A total of 304 confirmed and suspected cases were identified during the course of the investigation, and one man died as a result of his infection.  Marler Clark represented a number of the sickened individuals in this outbreak.