Latest update: December 19, 2024
CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections.
Epidemiologic and traceback data show that cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, including recalled cucumbers from SunFed Produce, LLC., may be contaminated with Salmonella and may be making people sick.
Epidemiologic Data
Since the last update on December 5, a total of 32 additional illnesses have been reported. As of December 17, 2024, a total of 100 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 23 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 12, 2024, to November 23, 2024. Of the 90 people for whom information is available, 25 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Public health officials collect many different types of information from sick people, including their age, race, ethnicity, other demographics, and the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. This information provides clues to help investigators identify the source of the outbreak.
The table below has information about sick people in this outbreak (“n” is the number of people with information available for each demographic).
| Demographics | Information |
| Age (n=100) | Range from <1 to 98 years Median age of 27 |
| Sex (n=100) | 63% female 37% male |
| Race (n=76) | 85% White 8% African American/Black 3% Asian 3% Native American or Alaska Native 1% reported more than one race |
| Ethnicity (n=78) | 91% non-Hispanic 9% Hispanic |
State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 67 people interviewed, 54 (81%) reported eating or likely eating cucumbers. This percentage was significantly higher than the 50% of respondents who reported eating cucumbers in the FoodNet Population Survey—a survey that helps estimate how often people eat various foods linked to diarrheal illness. This difference suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating cucumbers.
CDC and states identified seven illness sub-clusters at three assisted living facilities, three school districts, and one restaurant. An illness sub-cluster is a group of unrelated people who all ate at the same location or event, such as a restaurant, long-term care facility, or school. Investigating sub-clusters can help identify a food item eaten by all the sick people that could be the source of the outbreak. Cucumbers were served at these seven sub-cluster locations.
Laboratory and Traceback Data
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.
WGS analysis of 97 people’s samples did not predict resistance to any antibiotics. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site.
People reported eating cucumbers at different restaurants and sub-cluster locations or buying cucumbers from multiple stores. FDA’s traceback investigation identified Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico as a common grower of cucumbers.
Public Health Actions
Many companies have recalled cucumbers or foods made with them. CDC advises people not to eat and businesses not to sell or serve recalled cucumbers. FDA continues to work with additional importers that received cucumbers grown by Agrotato S.A. de C.V.
