Onions linked to Salmonella outbreak

Wyoming is among several states experiencing an outbreak of Salmonella Newport linked to eating red onions purchased through a specific company. At least 16 cases have been identified so far, including in Crook County.

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) says half the Wyoming cases have been reported in Campbell County, with the remainder in Carbon, Goshen, Natrona, Sheridan and Teton. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there have so far been 396 cases nationally across 34 states with 59 people hospitalized.

The CDC believes from traceback information that red onions are the cause of the outbreak and the likely source is Thomson International of Bakersfield, CA. Due to the way that onions are grown and harvested, the CDC warns that other varieties, such as white, yellow and sweet, may also be contaminated.

The outbreak has also been reported in Canada, where whole genome sequencing has identified it as related to the U.S. cases. The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified red onions imported from the U.S. as the most likely source.

“People ill in connection to this outbreak described eating raw onions in freshly prepared foods, including salads, sandwiches, wraps, salsas and dips,” said Tiffany Greenlee, surveillance epidemiologist with WDH. “That’s why we’re recommending residents should not eat, serve or sell any onions from Thomson International Inc. or products made with these onions.”

According to the CDC, most people who become infected with Salmonella will develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps between six hours and six days after being exposed to the bacteria and the illness lasts between four and seven days. Most people recover without treatment, but it is possible for the illness to become severe enough that the patient must be hospitalized, and the infection can also spread from the intestines into the bloodstream.

Severe illness is more common in young children, adults over the age of 65 and people with weakened immune systems.

If you experience any of the symptoms, the CDC recommends talking to your healthcare provider, writing down what you ate in the week before you felt sick and reporting your illness to your local health department.

To avoid contracting Salmonella during this outbreak, WDH recommends checking your kitchens for potentially affected onions or fresh foods made with them. Check stickers and packages to see if your onions come from Thomson International Inc. and throw them away if they do.

If you can’t be sure where your onions came from, do not eat them. Avoid fresh foods containing onions if you are unsure where the ingredients were sourced from.

Sanitize any surfaces that may have come into contact with onions or their packaging. The CDC also recommends checking with restaurants and grocery stores to be sure they are not serving or selling onions from Thomson International Inc. or foods prepared with them.

The multistate outbreak is currently under investigation by the CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.