Eight out of ten hospitalized with one death.

On November 1, 2019, the CDC announced that along with public health and regulatory officials and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), they are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Dublin linked to ground beef.

Although laboratory tests have shown ground beef to be the likely cause, they have not yet identified the common supplier of the ground beef.  Several different types and brands of ground beef were consumed and purchased at a variety of locations.

Illnesses began on dates ranging from August 8, 2019, to September 22, 2019.  Currently there are 10 confirmed Salmonella Dublin cases reported in six different states.  Eight people have been hospitalized, with one death in California related to this outbreak.  The CDC reports that the illnesses have resulted in more severe symptoms than usually experienced with Salmonella Dublin.

Most of the victims ate the contaminated ground beef at home.  Laboratory testing confirmed the same strain of Salmonella Dublin in repackaged ground beef that had been eaten in an ill person’s home in California.  The outbreak strain of Salmonella Dublin was found in six samples of raw beef products collected from slaughter and processing facilities.

Symptoms of Salmonella Dublin include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12 to 72 hours after exposure.  The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, with most people recovering without medical treatment.  In some cases, the illness can become severe as bloodstream infections spread to other places in the body which often require hospitalization.  Vulnerable populations include children younger than 5 years and adults 65 and older.

The CDC is continuing to investigate this outbreak and will update the public if more information becomes available.