Salmonellosis Outbreak Traced to Imported Cantaloupe
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Oregon health officials are urging consumers to discard certain brands of fresh cantaloupe in the wake of a salmonellosis outbreak investigation.
A major supplier of cantaloupe to the U. S. and Canada is Agropecuaria Montelibano. The product is grown in the Honduras and packaged by Angropecuria Montelibano, also known as Agrolibano.
In the middle of January, a rare strain of the disease, Salmonella Litchfield, affected consumers in the U. S. and Canada. More than 50 cases in 16 states have been confirmed, including five in Oregon and nine in Washington.
According to Dr. Willian E. Keene, an epidemiologist at the Oregon Public Health Division, "if you have any of this kind of cantaloupe at home, we recommend that you throw it out. If your cantaloupe has a sticker that says Guatemala or some other country, then it is not associated with this outbreak. If you can't tell where it came from, or if it came from Honduras, you could check with the store to see if it might be from this company."
Agrolibano distributes under many different label names.
"It is confusing, but unfortunately there isn't any magic want we can wave to tell from which field," he said. "If you are concerned about fruit that you have at home, just toss it."
The U. S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is working with packers and growers to pinpoint the source of contamination, but investigation may take months.
In the state of Oregon only five cases are confirmed. There have been 25 or more or have become ill. One, at least, has recovered from the illness.
In the U. S., over the years, cantaloupe and other melons have been the source of many outbreaks. It is just important to remember that once you cut into the melons, eat it right away or stick it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Otherwise, bacteria will start multiplying on the flesh of the melon if left out.
Salmonella typically causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever and usually lasts less than than week. Some are at increased risk for severe illness, particularly the elderly, infants or those with auto-immunodeficiencies.
