Multistate Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Newport Infections Associated with Ground Beef, October to December 2007

Abstract

In late October 2007, an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Newport infections affected 42 case patients in California, Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada. A case-control study implicated ground beef from one chain store. Despite detailed ground beef purchase histories—including shopper card information for several case patients—traceback efforts by both the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service and the California Department of Public Health were unable to identify the source of contamination. Case patients consumed multiple types of ground beef products purchased at numerous chain store A retail locations. These stores had received beef products for grinding from multiple beef slaughter–processing establishments. Detailed retail grinding logs and grinding policies that prevent cross-contamination between batches of ground beef products are crucial in the identification of contaminated beef products associated with foodborne illness.