A Salmonella outbreak, mostly among babies, has been traced to contaminated pet food that was recently recalled, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday.
The outbreak has infected people across at least seven states, including Alabama, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, and Oklahoma, a warning from the agency said.
The CDC linked the outbreak to multiple pet food brands, including Mid America Pet Food and Victor Pet Food.
Officials reported that people got sick from “touching recalled dog food, touching things like dog bowls that contained the dog food, or touching the poop or saliva of dogs that were fed the dog food.”
“Most of the sick people in this outbreak are infants,” the CDC noted, describing how the majority of people infected with Salmonella experience “diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.”
Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days, but some—especially children under five, seniors aged 65 or older, and those with compromised immune systems—”may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.”
At least one person was hospitalized, said the health agency, adding that no deaths have been reported.
Mid America announced Thursday that the contaminated pet food came from its Mount Pleasant, Texas, facility.
“Mid America Pet Food, Mount Pleasant, Texas, is expanding its October 30, 2023, voluntary recall to include additional pet food products, with Best By Dates before October 31, 2024, made at its Mount Pleasant facility, due to the products’ potential to be contaminated with Salmonella,” the statement reads.
According to the manufacturer, recalled products include Victor Super Premium Dog Foods, Wayne Feeds Dog Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food, and some Member’s Mark varieties with “best by” dates before October 31, 2024.
“Recalled products were distributed to distributors and retailers throughout the United States,” the company said.
The company explained how to handle the recalled pet food:
Do not feed the recalled product to pets or any other animals. Destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups, and storage containers. Always ensure that you wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or any utensils that come in contact with recalled food.
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) included a list with pictures of all the pet food brands produced by Mid America, and said they are “investigating“ the outbreak.
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