Marler Clark investigates: Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak sickens 449

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup infections. Epidemiologic, traceback and laboratory data show that cucumbers were contaminated with Salmonella and made people sick.

CDC and FDA combined these two outbreak investigations as they shared several similarities, including where and when illnesses occurred, the demographics of ill people and the foods they reported eating before they became sick.

As of July 2, a total of 449 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup have been reported from 31 states and the District of Columbia. Of these illnesses, 215 people were infected with the newly added Salmonella Braenderup strain. 

Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 11, 2024, to June 4, 2024. Of 360 people with information available, 125 have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may have been part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS).WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This means that people in this outbreak likely got sick from the same type of food.

FDA’s traceback investigation identified Bedner Growers, Inc., in Florida as a supplier of cucumbers in this outbreak. This one grower does not account for all illnesses in this outbreak. FDA collected samples at the grower in Florida and identified Salmonella Braenderup in untreated canal water. WGS determined that the Salmonella found in the water is the same strain of Salmonella Braenderup that made people in this outbreak sick. Additional soil and water samples collected at Bedner Growers, Inc. were positive for other strains of Salmonella. CDC and FDA are looking to see if these strains have caused illness in people.

Salmonella:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants.  The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.  

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resources:

• About Salmonella – a complete resource for victims of Salmonella outbreaks
• Marler Clark Salmonella Lawsuits and Litigation
• Downloadable Salmonella Fact Sheet

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.