ATLANTA — A multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to jalapeño peppers has sickened 345 people in 27 U.S. states, with health officials tracing the illnesses to peppers imported from Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The outbreak, caused by Salmonella Javiana, had resulted in 36 hospitalizations and no deaths as of Aug. 4, according to the CDC. Illnesses began between June 19 and July 20, with officials warning that the actual number of infections could be higher because many people recover without seeking medical care or are not tested.
Epidemiological and traceback investigations found that many patients had eaten at Mexican-style restaurants before becoming ill. Of 191 people interviewed by public health officials, 177, or 93%, reported eating at such a restaurant, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA. Officials identified 27 illness clusters involving those two restaurant chains in seven states. Jalapeños were among the ingredients commonly reported by affected customers, along with red onion, cilantro and avocado.
The CDC said federal and state investigators identified a common grower of jalapeños in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies Coast Citrus Distributors as the likely source of the outbreak. Whole-genome sequencing found that bacteria from patients were closely related genetically, supporting the conclusion that the illnesses were associated with a common food source.
The Food and Drug Administration said on Aug. 5 that it had issued an outbreak advisory concerning recalled jalapeños imported from Sinaloa and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. The FDA said its traceback investigation was continuing.
Chipotle and QDOBA have stopped serving the affected jalapeños after being notified of the outbreak. The CDC said that, because the companies removed the implicated product from their restaurants, it and the FDA do not consider there to be a current ongoing risk to consumers from those establishments in connection with the outbreak.
The CDC advised businesses to check their inventories for recalled jalapeños and not sell or serve them while the investigation continues. Health officials said additional illnesses may still be reported as testing and outbreak investigations proceed.
