CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states across the United States and with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service to investigate an ongoing multi-state outbreak of Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- (pronounced “four five twelve eye minus”) infections in humans. An investigation that used interviews comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons is showing that eating Banquet brand pot pies produced by the ConAgra Foods company is the likely source of the illness.
Between January 1, 2007 and October 9, 2007, at least 139 isolates of Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- with an indistinguishable genetic fingerprint have been collected from ill persons in 30 states. Ill persons whose Salmonella strain has this genetic fingerprint have been reported from Arizona (1 person), California (5), Connecticut (3), Delaware (5), Georgia (2), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Kansas (2), Kentucky (7), Massachusetts (5), Maryland (5), Maine (1), Minnesota (5), Missouri (11), Montana (4), Nevada (6), New York (6), Ohio (6), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (13), Tennessee (5), Texas (4), Utah (2), Virginia (6), Vermont (2), Washington (1), Wisconsin (19), Wyoming (2). Their ages range from <1 to 87 years with a median age of 20 years; 49% of ill persons are female. At least 20 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Investigation of the Outbreak
CDC is coordinating a case-control study designed to identify the source of these infections. A case was defined as Salmonella infection on or after August 1, 2007, with a strain that had the outbreak genetic fingerprint. Reverse address directories were used to enroll control persons, who were matched to cases by age group and state of residence. Eating a Banquet brand pot pie was significantly associated with illness. The outbreak appears to be ongoing.
Clinical features
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample. The illness usually lasts 4 – 7 days. Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur. Infants, elderly persons, and people with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. In severe infection, Salmonella spreads from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites, and death can occur if the person is not treated promptly with antibiotics.
Advice to consumers
At this time, CDC recommends that people do not eat any Banquet pot pies or pot pies made by ConAgra Foods that have a printed code ending in “P9.” Other brands of pot pies made in the ConAgra Foods factory that makes Banquet brand pot pies and sold under other brand names may also be contaminated with Salmonella. These other pot pie boxes also have a printed code ending in “P9”. If you have any of these products at home, the safest thing to do is to discard them.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Public Health Alert:
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Frozen Chicken and Turkey Pot Pies
Source: Investigation of Outbreak of Human Infections Caused by Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- | Salmonella CDC
Between January 1, 2007 and October 9, 2007, at least 139 isolates of Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- with an indistinguishable genetic fingerprint have been collected from ill persons in 30 states. Ill persons whose Salmonella strain has this genetic fingerprint have been reported from Arizona (1 person), California (5), Connecticut (3), Delaware (5), Georgia (2), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Indiana (3), Kansas (2), Kentucky (7), Massachusetts (5), Maryland (5), Maine (1), Minnesota (5), Missouri (11), Montana (4), Nevada (6), New York (6), Ohio (6), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (13), Tennessee (5), Texas (4), Utah (2), Virginia (6), Vermont (2), Washington (1), Wisconsin (19), Wyoming (2). Their ages range from <1 to 87 years with a median age of 20 years; 49% of ill persons are female. At least 20 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Investigation of the Outbreak
CDC is coordinating a case-control study designed to identify the source of these infections. A case was defined as Salmonella infection on or after August 1, 2007, with a strain that had the outbreak genetic fingerprint. Reverse address directories were used to enroll control persons, who were matched to cases by age group and state of residence. Eating a Banquet brand pot pie was significantly associated with illness. The outbreak appears to be ongoing.
Clinical features
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12–72 hours after infection. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample. The illness usually lasts 4 – 7 days. Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur. Infants, elderly persons, and people with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness. In severe infection, Salmonella spreads from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites, and death can occur if the person is not treated promptly with antibiotics.
Advice to consumers
At this time, CDC recommends that people do not eat any Banquet pot pies or pot pies made by ConAgra Foods that have a printed code ending in “P9.” Other brands of pot pies made in the ConAgra Foods factory that makes Banquet brand pot pies and sold under other brand names may also be contaminated with Salmonella. These other pot pie boxes also have a printed code ending in “P9”. If you have any of these products at home, the safest thing to do is to discard them.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Public Health Alert:
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Frozen Chicken and Turkey Pot Pies
Source: Investigation of Outbreak of Human Infections Caused by Salmonella I,4,[5],12:i:- | Salmonella CDC
