Investigation Announcement: Outbreak of Human Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Associated with Contact with Water Frogs

Persons Infected with the Outbreak Strain of Salmonella Typhimurium, United States, by State, April 3, 2009 to November 21, 2009

New information in the investigation indicates the outbreak likely began in April, which is earlier than previously reported. An additional 26 ill persons infected with the outbreak strain between April and July have been identified and are now included in the overall number of reported individuals infected.Only four new recent illnesses have been reported since the previous web update on December 10. Investigations are still ongoing to see if the outbreak may have been occurring prior to April.

As of 11:59pm EST on December 15, 2009, 80 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 28 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (1), California (4), Colorado (4), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (6), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (2), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (1), Missouri (4), Mississippi (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (2), New Mexico (1), New York (2), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (4), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (3), Texas (3), Utah (13), Virginia (2), Washington (7) and Wisconsin (1).

Among the persons with reported dates available, illnesses began between April 3, 2009 and November 21, 2009. Infected individuals range in age from <1 year old to 54 years old. Eighty percent (80%) of patients are younger than 10 years old and the median age is 4 years. Forty-nine percent (49%) of patients are female. Among the 44 patients with available information, 17 (39%) were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.