Nine sick in Tennessee prison – Possible link to 19 ill in 12 states.

As of January 24, 2014, a total of 9 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from Tennessee.  Two (22%) of 9 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.  All of the ill persons were incarcerated at a single correctional facility located in Tennessee.

Epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted by Tennessee and federal officials indicate that consumption of Tyson brand mechanically separated chicken is the likely source of the outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections at the Tennessee correctional facility.  On January 10, 2014, Tyson Foods, Inc. recalled approximated 33,840 pounds of mechanically separated chicken products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg.

This strain of Salmonella Heidelberg is commonly reported to PulseNet. Nineteen additional persons infected with this same strain have been identified from 12 other states.  Investigations are ongoing to determine if these cases are related to the outbreak at the Tennessee correctional facility.

CDC’s NARMS laboratory conducted antibiotic resistance testing on Salmonella Heidelberg isolates collected from three ill persons infected with the outbreak strain.  Two (67%) of the isolates tested were multidrug-resistant (defined as resistant to at least one antibiotic in three or more antibiotic classes), and one (33%) of the isolates was pansusceptible (susceptible to all antibiotics tested).

Salmonella:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants.  The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.