17 People in Wisconsin, 23 in Minnesota Sickened in E. Coli, Salmonella Outbreak

Alfalfa sprouts. Photo by flickr user kellyhogaboom (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Alfalfa sprouts contaminated with both E. coli and Salmonella bacteria have sicked at least 17 people in Wisconsin and 23 more in Minnesota.

One person is hospitalized in Wisconsin and two have been hospitalized in Minnesota, according to health officials from each state.

A press release from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said additional illnesses “have been identified in other states.”

The affected sprouts were grown in Minnesota and sold under the Everything Sprouts and Calco brands. The products were distributed to grocery stores and restaurants.

DHS officials said in a press release that residents should check their homes for affected sprouts and throw them away if found. Anyone who has eaten sprouts from the two brands should monitor for symptoms and contact a health care provider if their illness becomes severe.

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, is one of six types of the bacteria that can cause diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. STEC is characterized by bloody diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting.

It mostly affects older adults and children under age 5, and is typically spread through contaminated food, water or contact with feces from a sick person or animal.

People usually become sick two to five days after ingesting the bacteria, according to DHS, and most recover within a week. But the agency warned STEC infections can lead to a severe complication involving kidney failure.

Salmonella are one of the leading causes of foodborne illness and typically causes diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. Symptoms usually start between six hours and six days after swallowing the bacteria, according to state health officials.

Most people recover on their own, but children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at risk of more serious illness requiring medical treatment.

It’s the third outbreak of salmonella infections in the U.S. this summer. Federal health officials have confirmed 431 cases of Salmonella across 32 states linked to jalapeno peppers, including 12 cases in Wisconsin. At least 98 people in 17 states have also been sickened in an outbreak linked to eggs produced in Texas.

17 in Wisconsin, 23 in Minnesota sickened in E. coli, salmonella outbreak was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.