The cases were located in six states: Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia. There is a good chance that other states may also begin reporting alfalfa salmonella cases.

 

Following the reports, the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory, warning the public to avoid eating all raw alfalfa sprouts while an investigation is under way. No recalls were made.

 

“The first and foremost thing was to protect the public. I hope that at least the public is being protected while we figure this thing out,” said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for foods.

The warning does not include all types of sprouts, just raw alfalfa sprouts. However the FDA always recommend that people at high risk for complications, such as the elderly, young children and people with compromised immune system, not eat raw sprouts because of the risk of contamination with salmonella or other bacteria.

 

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea in humans and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized. These patients need antibiotic treatment in order to prevent the infection from spreading to the blood stream, and then to other body sites, a condition that could turn fatal.