The outbreak of a rare strain of salmonella reported recently in California and New Mexico, is now being reported from nine states affecting 53 people, according to an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This outbreak is caused by Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) bacteria. This strain had never been seen in animals or humans before March 2015.
The number of ill people reported from each state is as follows: Arizona (10), California (31), Illinois (1), Mississippi (1), New Mexico (6), South Dakota (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (1).
The investigation has not conclusively identified the source of this outbreak, but most ill people interviewed reported eating sushi made with raw tuna in the week before becoming ill. The investigation is ongoing and has not identified a common brand or supplier of raw tuna linked to illnesses.
Ten people sickened have required hospitalization for their illness. No deaths have been reported.
The CDC illness caused by this bacteria typically includes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after being exposed. Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) does not cause paratyphoid fever, enteric fever, or typhoid fever.
