A Wisconsin poultry company has issued a recall of eggs sold in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin after finding they were contaminated with a strain of Salmonella that has sickened 65 people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Friday regarding recalled eggs from Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC, which had been sold in stores and restaurants under the labels “Milo’s Poultry Farms” and “Tony’s Fresh Market.”
The CDC advises all consumers who purchased these eggs to avoid eating them, and instead throw them away or return them. It also recommends washing any surfaces that may have come into contact with the eggs with hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher.
In Illinois, 11 cases of the Salmonella strain found in the recalled eggs have been reported so far, according to the CDC. That’s the second-highest number of infections after Wisconsin, which has so far had 42 cases in this Salmonella outbreak, according to CDC data. Twenty-four people have been hospitalized, with no deaths reported.
Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC recalled the eggs Friday after receiving notice from the Food and Drug Administration that samples from its production facilities tested positive for a strain of Salmonella that is causing an ongoing outbreak. The bacteria was found in the packing plant and in the laying barn of the hens, according to the FDA’s analysis.
The recall affects eggs of all carton sizes, egg types and expiration dates labeled with any of the company’s brand names.
Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC has ceased all production and distribution at this time and will undergo testing and disinfection procedures, the FDA said.
According to the CDC, symptoms of a Salmonella infection typically appear within six hours to six days after eating contaminated food. Signs of infection include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
Although the CDC says most people recover without treatment within a week, children under five, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems “may experience more serious illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.” Some infections can even be fatal, according to the FDA.
People who may have consumed the recalled eggs should call their health care provider if they experience serious symptoms, including fever over 102°F, bloody diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts more than three days and does not improve, inability to keep fluids down due to vomiting, or signs of dehydration.
The current strain of Salmonella found in eggs is also resistant to some antibiotics, making treatment more difficult, according to the CDC.
“Laboratory testing has shown that the Salmonella that is making people sick is resistant to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin,” the CDC wrote in its statement. “This may make illnesses in this outbreak difficult to treat with some commonly recommended antibiotics and may require a different choice of antibiotics for people who need them.”
The CDC’s investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.
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