New outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses identified; other outbreaks declared over

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a new outbreak of infections caused by E. coli O157:H7.

As of Nov. 14, 18 confirmed patients have been identified. The FDA has not reported where the patients live or their ages. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food is being traced.

In other outbreak news, several outbreak investigations have been closed.

• The outbreak of Salmonella Thompson linked to a product that has not yet been identified has ended. A total of 25 patients were identified. The FDA traced the outbreak back but did not report what food it traced.
• An outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to a product that has not yet been identified has ended. A total of 28 patients were confirmed. The FDA conducted traceback, on-site inspections, and sample testing but did not report what food it traced, where the inspections took place, or what was tested.
• The FDA’s investigation into an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes has closed. Four patients were confirmed in the outbreak. The FDA conducted traceback, on-site inspections, and sample testing but did not report what food it traced, where the inspections took place, or what was tested.
• FDA’s investigation has closed for an outbreak of illnesses from the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite. There were 61 confirmed patients identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked with the FDA and state and local partners to conduct epidemiologic and traceback investigations and identified shrimp salad, made with fresh produce ingredients, as the source of illnesses in this outbreak. FDA collected and analyzed product and ingredient samples as part of the investigation, but all samples were reported as unfavorable for Cyclospora. Due to the lack of additional supporting evidence, investigators could not determine a specific ingredient as the source of contamination while the outbreak was considered ongoing. All products have passed shelf life and are no longer on the market. There is no ongoing risk to public health. 
• FDA’s investigation has closed for another outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite. There were 49 confirmed patients. The CDC, FDA, and state and local partners conducted epidemiologic and traceback investigations and identified imported parsley as the source of illnesses in this outbreak. The FDA initiated on-site inspections and collected and analyzed product and ingredient samples as part of the investigation, but all samples were reported as negative for Cyclospora. Due to the lack of additional supporting evidence, investigators could not determine a specific contamination source while the outbreak was ongoing. All products have passed shelf life and are no longer on the market. There is no ongoing risk to public health.
• The FDA’s investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium has closed. There were 90 confirmed patients. The CDC, FDA, and state and local partners conducted epidemiologic and traceback investigations and identified jalapeno pepper as the source of illnesses in this outbreak. FDA collected and analyzed product samples as part of the investigation, but all samples were reported as negative for Salmonella. Once investigators had enough information to confirm jalapenos as the outbreak’s source, the products were past their shelf life and no longer available for sale. This outbreak is over, and there is no risk to consumers.

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