A Wisconsin poultry company has issued a recall for eggs sold in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin after they were found to be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella that has sickened 65 people.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Food Safety Alert for the 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 have purchased these eggs to avoid eating them, instead throwing them away or returning them. They also recommend washing all surfaces that may have made contact with the eggs using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
In Illinois, 11 cases of the strain of Salmonella found in the recalled eggs have been reported so far, according to the CDC. This is the second-highest infection count after Wisconsin, which has so far seen 42 cases during this Salmonella outbreak, according to CDC data. 24 people have been hospitalized, with no deaths reported.
Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC recalled the eggs on Friday, after receiving notice from the Food and Drug Administration that samples from their production sites tested positive for a strain of Salmonella causing an ongoing outbreak. The bacteria was found in the packing facility and the hen egg laying house, according to the FDA’s analysis.
The recall impacts eggs of all carton sizes, egg types and expiration dates labeled with either of the company’s brand names.
Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC has ceased all production and distribution at this time, and will be undergoing testing and sanitization procedures, the FDA said.
Symptoms of Salmonella infections usually begin within six hours to six days of consuming contaminated food, according to the CDC. Signs of infection include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps.
Though the CDC says that most people recover without treatment within a week, children under five, adults over 65 years and people with weakened immune systems “may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.” Some infections may even be fatal, according to the FDA.
Individuals who may have eaten the recalled eggs should call their healthcare providers if they experience severe symptoms including a fever over 102°F, bloody diarrhea, diarrhea for more than three days that does not improve, an inability to keep liquids down due to vomiting or signs of dehydration.
The current strain of Salmonella found in the eggs is also resistant to certain antibiotics, making treatment more difficult, according to the CDC.
“Laboratory testing showed that the Salmonella making people sick is resistant to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin,” wrote the CDC in their announcement. “This may make illnesses in this outbreak difficult to treat with some commonly recommended antibiotics and may require a different antibiotic choice for people who need them.”
The CDC’s investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.