Four people in Wisconsin sickened by multistate salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes

At least two people in Wisconsin have been hospitalized and two other Wisconsinites have fallen ill from a salmonella outbreak linked to contaminated cantaloupes suspected to have sickened dozens across the country, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said Tuesday.

Wisconsin health officials are urging people not to eat or serve cantaloupe products that were recently recalled, as they and other agencies investigate the ongoing outbreak of salmonella infections, caused by bacteria spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating the multistate outbreak, which has sickened at least 43 people across 15 states, including Wisconsin, according to the FDA. Seventeen of those people have been hospitalized, including the two in Wisconsin.

The state's Department of Health Services also is investigating the outbreak, along with the state's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and local health departments.

The four people in Wisconsin who got sick are from different counties, though health officials didn't specify which counties.

Several cantaloupes and cantaloupe-containing products sold in October were recalled recently due to suspicion of salmonella contamination, including:

• Whole fresh cantaloupes with a label that says “Malichita”, “4050" and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique” sold between Oct. 16 and Oct. 23
• Aldi cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with best-by dates between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31

State health officials are urging people who bought recalled cantaloupe products to throw them away, along with any food packaged with the cantaloupe, such as other fruit in a fruit salad. This includes any fresh fruit that was frozen for later use.

State officials urge anyone who ate recalled cantaloupe and is feeling sick to contact a doctor right away and let them know of the possibility for contact with salmonella. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting that lasts several days, according to the DHS.

Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days, according to the FDA. Children younger than 5, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections, the FDA says. In rare cases, salmonella can cause bloodstream infections.

Most people will recover from the infection on their own, but some people may require extra fluids to prevent dehydration, according to the DHS.

People can find more information about products affected by the recall and where they were sold on the DHS's "Outbreaks in Wisconsin" webpage, at www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm. Updates and other information about the outbreak investigation can also be found on that webpage.

For free, confidential support finding a doctor or other health care provider near you, dial 211 or 877-947-2211, or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Find more resources online at 211Wisconsin.org.