23 Minnesotans Sickened In E. Coli, Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Alfalfa Sprouts

ST. PAUL, MN — State health officials are warning Minnesotans not to eat alfalfa sprouts sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands after confirming a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Salmonella infections.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) said 23 Minnesotans became ill between July 8 and Aug. 8.

Two people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. Wisconsin investigators have identified 18 additional cases, with more illnesses reported in other states, according to MDH.

The illnesses have been traced to alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota producer, and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts labels to restaurants and grocery stores.

Officials are urging anyone who has the sprouts to throw them away without eating them.

MDH and MDA are coordinating with Wisconsin health officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other states to pin down the source and full scope of the contamination.

Health officials said the number of illnesses will likely grow as the investigation continues.

STEC symptoms typically include stomach cramps and diarrhea, often bloody, with a low-grade fever or none at all. Illness usually begins two to five days after exposure, though it can take up to eight days. Most people recover within five to seven days, but the infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication involving kidney failure.

Health officials said STEC-related diarrhea generally should not be treated with antibiotics, since that can raise the risk of that complication.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever, typically appearing 12 to 96 hours after exposure but sometimes as late as two weeks later.

Most infections clear up in five to seven days, though about 28 percent of lab-confirmed cases require hospitalization, according to MDH.

Minnesota reports roughly 1,000 Salmonella infections and 85 STEC infections tied to the serogroups involved in this outbreak each year, health officials said.

Anyone who believes they have an STEC or Salmonella infection is urged to contact their health care provider.