1999 Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Linked to Rainbow Sprouts Clover Sprouts
An outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium, in Colorado, resulted from consuming clover sprouts. The outbreak was detected through routine laboratory surveillance. The sprouts were traced to two Colorado suppliers that had obtained the seed from a single supplier in Oregon. The sprouts were recalled, and the seed company stopped distributing the implicated seeds. With these actions, the outbreak subsided. Salmonella Typhimurium was recovered from an environmental sample collected at one of the sprouters. No seed samples showed the presence of the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. One of the sprouters disinfected the seeds in chlorine as was then recommended; fewer infections were attributed to sprouts from this sprouter. The disinfection technique reduced, but did not eliminate, the risk of infection.
- Outbreak began:
- January 1999
- Affected Country:
- US
- Affected States/Territories:
- Colorado
- Organism(s):
-
- Salmonella
- Vehicle(s):
- Vegetables, Sprouts, Clover
- Molecular Results Available:
- Yes
- Test Results:
- Unknown
- Location(s):
- Many
- Brand Name(s):
- Rainbow
- Product Subject to Recall:
- Yes
-
- Recall Links:
- http://www.sproutnet.com/Research/rainbow_sprouts_
- Total ill:
- 112
- Number ill by Case Definition Known:
- Yes
- Number Laboratory Confirmed Cases:
- 112
- Number Probable Cases:
- 0
- Number Possible Cases:
- 0
- Anyone Hospitalized:
- Yes
- Number Hospitalized:
- 3
- Any Deaths:
- Unknown
- Number Dead:
- Unknown
- Any References:
- Yes