A food safety alert has been issued over an E. coli and salmonella outbreak that has sickened dozens of people across 15 states, most of whom reported eating alfalfa sprouts before they fell ill, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
So far, 55 people have reported falling ill, including four hospitalizations.
No deaths have been reported.
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The affected alfalfa sprouts were produced by Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands at retailers and grocery stores.
Customers should throw away or return any of the affected products and wash surfaces that may have come into contact with sprouts.
E. coli symptoms include stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and nausea, and salmonella symptoms involve diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever.
The CDC urged people to see a doctor immediately if they experience diarrhea and fever higher than 102 degrees, bloody diarrhea or diarrhea for more than two days, the inability to keep anything down, or signs of dehydration, including not peeing much, dry mouth and throat and feeling dizzy when standing.
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The majority of people sickened were in Minnesota, 21, and Wisconsin, 17; while two people were sickened in New York, North Dakota, North Carolina and Florida; and one illness was reported in Washington, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
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Along with the CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating the outbreak, which involves three strains of E. coli and one of salmonella.
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Of those sickened, 46 were infected with E. coli, seven with salmonella, and two with both. The CDC said that some people were infected with more than one strain of the infections.
The illnesses started in late May and continued through Aug. 8.
This outbreak comes amid several other food-borne ones reported recently that are connected to jalapeños, iceberg lettuce, eggs and blueberries.
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