The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health confirmed yesterday that food served at Taco Bell restaurants is the source of Salmonella Hartford and Baildon outbreaks.
At least 155 people in 21 states have been confirmed with salmonellosis and are part of the outbreak. A state spokesperson from Kentucky told eFoodAlert that suspect cases are still under investigation. Eleven of the 28 Kentucky Salmonella outbreak victims were hospitalized.
The CDC reported yesterday that although the restaurant has been implicated as the source of the Salmonella outbreak, a particular food item or supplier has not been identified. An extensive traceback effort was initiated to determine if a common source of Salmonella Hartford or Baildon could be identified but was unsuccessful in determining where the bacteria came from.
For more information about the outbreak and the breakdown of cases from state to state, see yesterday’s story: Mexican Fast Food Linked to 2 Salmonella Outbreaks.
Salmonella Hartford and Baildon
are rare serotypes of Salmonella bacteria, which when ingested causes
symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, and
vomiting. Salmonella can be detected in the stool of infected
individuals.