The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that as of Monday, July 20, 62 people have been affected by an outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) strain across 11 states in the US. A total of eleven individuals were admitted at the hospital and fortunately, no mortalities have been recorded so far.
The outbreak was associated with the ingestion of a batch of yellowfin tuna that had been processed in Indonesia. The said catch was then sold by Osamu Corporation to various distributors, including AFC Corporation, which sold the fish for the purpose of grocery store sushi. According to the results of laboratory and epidemiological investigations, the batch of frozen fish is most likely the source of the infections. This is backed up by patients, who reported that they ate sushi with raw tuna as an ingredient a week prior to feeling ill.
Osamu Corporation revealed two voluntary recalls of the frozen fish from one processing facility in Indonesia on Tuesday, July 21. The company also announced that they have recalled all types and forms of frozen yellowfin tuna including chunk, saku, slice and ground forms all throughout the US from the period of May 9-July 9. According to the CDC, the affected batch of products may be identified through its purchase order numbers written on the container box, ranging from 8563 through 8599. The Minnesota Department of Health and Department of Agriculture announced that they were able to isolate the strain of the outbreak from samples of unopened packs of tuna sold in the grocery store, where one patient got the tuna. Osamu then recalled that particular batch of products with lot number 68568, distributed by AFC from May 20-26, 2015.
The latest outbreak is caused by the bacteria Salmonella. The signs and symptoms manifested by a patient infected with the bacteria include diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. These clinical manifestations are said to appear within 12-72 hours of exposure to the bacteria. The particular strain of the virus associated with the latest outbreak does not cause typhoid fever, enteric fever and paratyphoid fever.
The CDC asks the retailers and restaurants possessing the recalled frozen treats to stop serving or selling the recalled products. The agency recommends them to check their freezers for any recalled products and return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Do not sell the products if doubtful.
Photo: Michael Saechang | Flickr
