17 Wisconsinites Sickened In E. Coli, Salmonella Outbreak

MADISON, WI — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has confirmed 17 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Salmonella in Wisconsinites tied to alfalfa sprouts sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands.

One has been hospitalized.

The Wisconsin cases are part of a multistate outbreak already linked to 23 illnesses in Minnesota, along with cases identified in other states, according to DHS.

The sprouts, grown by Everything Sprouts, were distributed to restaurants and grocery stores under both brand names.

DHS is coordinating with Minnesota health officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate the outbreak's source and scope.

Wisconsin officials are urging residents to check their homes for alfalfa sprouts from Everything Sprouts and Calco, throw them away and avoid eating them. Anyone who has eaten the sprouts should watch for symptoms of Salmonella or STEC infection and contact a health care provider if symptoms become severe.

STEC symptoms typically include stomach cramps and diarrhea, often bloody, with a low-grade fever or none at all. Illness usually begins two to five days after exposure, though it can take up to eight days. Most people recover within five to seven days, but the infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication involving kidney failure.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever, typically appearing 12 to 96 hours after exposure but sometimes as late as two weeks later. Most infections clear up in five to seven days, though a significant share of lab-confirmed cases require hospitalization.