CDC Update for an Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Papayas Imported from Mexico

A CDC update for an outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to papayas imported from Mexico has been posted at https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/uganda-06-19/index.html.

Updates:

• Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas are a likely source of this outbreak.
• Do not eat, serve, or sell any Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. We are no longer advising consumers to avoid all papayas from Mexico.
• 71 ill people have been reported from eight states (Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Texas).
• 27 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
• Of 40 ill people with available information, 28 reported being of Hispanic ethnicity.
• The hospitalization rate in this outbreak is 60 percent among people with information available. The hospitalization rate in Salmonella outbreaks is usually around 20 percent.
• Most of the sick people in this outbreak are adults over 60.
• Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 14, 2019, to June 16, 2019. Most illnesses have occurred since April.
• This investigation is ongoing and CDC will provide more information as it comes available.

Advice to consumers, retailers, and restaurants:

• Consumers in the U.S. should not eat any Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas.
• Consumers who have any Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas in their homes should not eat them. Throw the papayas away, even if some of them were eaten and no one has gotten sick.
  • Do not eat fruit salads or other foods that include any Cavi brand papayas.
  • If you aren’t sure the papaya you bought is Cavi brand, you can ask the place of purchase. When in doubt, don’t eat the papaya. Throw it out.
  • Wash and sanitize places where Cavi brand papayas were stored: countertops and refrigerator drawers or shelves. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.
• Restaurants, retailers, and other food service providers from all states should not sell or serve any Cavi brand papayas, which are distributed by Agroson’s LLC. Importers, suppliers, and distributors should not sell Cavi brand papayas distributed by Agroson’s LLC.

About Salmonella:

• Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12-72 hours after eating contaminated food.
• The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment.

• See your healthcare provider if you are concerned about symptoms, such as a high fever (temperature over 102˚F), blood in your poop, diarrhea, or frequent vomiting that prevents keeping liquid down.
• More information can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/features/salmonella-food/index.html.

If you have more questions about this outbreak, please call the CDC media line at (404) 639-3286. If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.