Background: CDC, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and local health departments are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium with 448 cases reported nationally, including 3 King County cases. Washington State has a total of 13 cases. Exposures to peanut butter and other peanut butter-containing products distributed to institutional settings are being examined. To date, no association has been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores. Public Health requests that health care providers be alert for symptoms of salmonellosis. For patients with compatible symptoms, please obtain a history including recent travel, exposure to ill persons and animals, and a food history including peanut butter and peanut butter- containing products, and all restaurant meals eaten within the 5 days prior to the onset of symptoms. Stool cultures should be requested to test for the presence of enteric pathogens including Salmonella, and if diarrhea is bloody, E. coli 0157:H7. Cases of salmonellosis are immediately notifiable upon suspicion. Please report suspected and confirmed cases immediately to Public Health at 206-296-4774.

Resources

• Public Health Salmonellosis fact sheet
• CDC Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak update, including advice to consumers
• FDA information on peanut butter recall

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