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5 days ago
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CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that cucumbers may be contaminated with Salmonella and may be making people sick.
Epidemiologic data
As of May 19, 2025, a total of 26 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 15 states. Seven sick people reported taking a cruise during the seven days prior to becoming sick, all departing from locations in Florida. Sick people were aboard 5 different cruise ships that departed the United States between March 30 and April 12. Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 2, 2025, to April 28, 2025. Of 23 people with information available, 9 have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.
The true number of sick people in this outbreak was likely much higher than the number reported, and this outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Public health officials collect many different types of information from sick people, including their age, race, ethnicity, other demographics, and the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. This information provides clues to help investigators identify the source of the outbreak.
The table below has information about sick people in this outbreak ("n" is the number of people with information available for each demographic).
State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 13 people interviewed so far, 11 (85%) reported eating cucumbers. This percentage was significantly higher than the 50% of respondents who reported eating cucumbers in the FoodNet Population Survey—a survey that helps estimate how often people eat various foods linked to diarrheal illness. This difference suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating cucumbers. Sick people on cruise ships reported eating cucumbers while on board. Three people traveled on the same ship.
Laboratory and traceback data
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.
People reported buying and eating cucumbers from a variety of locations including grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals and on cruise ships. FDA's traceback investigation identified Bedner Growers Inc. as the common grower of cucumbers in this outbreak.
FDA conducted an inspection at Bedner Farms Inc. in April 2025 as a follow up to a previous outbreak. During their inspection, environmental samples were collected. An environmental sample was identified as the outbreak strain of Salmonella. CDC and FDA are concerned that contaminated cucumbers may still be within shelf life based on the timing of illnesses in this outbreak.
WGS analysis of 25 people's samples did not predict resistance to any antibiotics. One person's sample predicted resistance to trimethoprim. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site. Most people with Salmonella illness recover without antibiotics. However, if antibiotics are needed, this resistance is unlikely to affect the choice of antibiotic used to treat most people.
Public health actions
CDC advises businesses to not sell or serve whole cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers Inc. and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Inc. between April 29, 2025 to May 19, 2025 while the investigation is ongoing. If you have any whole cucumbers in your home and can't tell where they are from, throw them out.
