By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-21 15:41:54 | Updated at 2026-08-21 15:54:39
19 minutes ago
The US is currently battling several outbreaks of life-threatening pathogens, and in some cases, the source has remained unconfirmed for weeks.
However, in one food-borne outbreak, health authorities have now linked 17 illnesses among Wisconsin residents to alfalfa sprouts.
The illnesses, and one hospitalization, are part of a multi-state outbreak of E.coli and salmonella connected to alfalfa sprouts distributed to restaurants and stores, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said.
The department said the sprouts were from Everything Sprouts and were sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands.
In neighboring Minnesota, 23 cases of foodborne illnesses have been identified in connection to the sprouts.
The Wisconsin DHS said it is working with 'Minnesota health officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other states to investigate this outbreak.'
Health officials are advising residents to check their homes for the affected alfalfa sprouts and to immediately throw them away.
The illnesses, and one hospitalization, are part of a multi-state outbreak of E.coli and salmonella connected to alfalfa sprouts distributed to restaurants and stores (stock image)
The products should not be consumed and those who may have eaten them should monitor for symptoms of E.coli and salmonella, which include diarrhea - sometimes bloody - stomach cramps and a low fever.
If symptoms become severe, patients should seek medical attention right away.
The outbreak appears so far to be regional and is not listed on the CDC's outbreak web page.
There are currently at least three salmonella outbreaks and one E.coli outbreak being tracked by the CDC and the FDA, along with the nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to shredded iceberg lettuce.
One salmonella outbreak has been traced to jalapenos, one to turtles and one to shelled eggs.
The E.coli outbreak has been linked to frozen blueberries.
At least 431 people have been sickened by jalapenos, including 57 who have been hospitalized, across 32 states.
No deaths have been reported in connection to that outbreak.
Eight people, including three hospitalized, across six states have been sickened in the outbreak linked to turtles.
Lastly, 98 people, including 26 hospitalized, have been sickened by salmonella in the outbreak linked to shelled eggs. Illnesses span 17 states and no deaths have been recorded.
In the E.coli outbreak linked to frozen blueberries, there have been 12 cases, four hospitalizations and no deaths across two states.
Meanwhile, the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak has sickened nearly 16,000 people and killed two across 47 states.
While federal officials blame the outbreak on iceberg lettuce imported from Mexico - which has now been halted - and assure Americans lettuce is now safe to eat, testing has failed to return a positive result of the cyclospora parasite on any lettuce samples from the supplier.
