INDIANA – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with Canadian, and U.S. state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Sundsvall infections. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis shows that clinical isolates from ill people from the outbreak in British Columbia, Canada are genetically related to the ill people in the United States. Canada has linked illnesses to imported cantaloupes sold under the label “Malichita”. Therefore, FDA recommends that consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled cantaloupe.
Based on epidemiological data collected by CDC, 15 of 29 cases report exposure to cantaloupe.
The investigation is ongoing to determine whether additional products are linked to illnesses. FDA will update this advisory should additional consumer safety information become available.
