Volume 5, Number 5—October 1999
Synopsis
Infections Associated with Eating Seed Sprouts: An International Concern
Peter J. Taormina*
, Larry R. Beuchat*, and Laurence Slutsker†
, Larry R. Beuchat*, and Laurence Slutsker†Table 1
Reported outbreaks of illness associated with seed sprouts, 1973–1998
| Year | Pathogen | No. of culture-confirmed casesa | Location | Type of sprout | Likely source of contami-nation | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Bacillus cereus | 4 | 1 U.S. state | Soy, cress, mustard | Seed | 3 |
| 1988 | Salmonella Saint-Paul | 143 | United Kingdom | Mung | Seed | 5 |
| 1989 | S. Gold-Coast | 31 | United Kingdom | Cress | Seed and/or sprouter | 7 |
| 1994 | S. Bovismorbificans | 595 | Sweden, Finland | Alfalfa | Seed | 8,9 |
| 1995 | S. Stanley | 242 | 17 U.S. states, Finland | Alfalfa | Seed | 10 |
| 1995-96 | S. Newport | 133b | >7 U.S. states, Canada, Denmark | Alfalfa | Seed | 11 |
| 1996 | S. Montevideo and S. Meleagridis | ~500 | 2 U.S. states | Alfalfa | Seed and/or sprouter | 13 |
| 1996 | Escherichia coli O157:H7 | ~6,000 | Japan | Radish | Seed | 16 |
| 1997 | E. coli O157:H7 | 126 | Japan | Radish | Seed | 17 |
| 1997 | S. Meleagridis | 78 | Canada | Alfalfa | Seed | 15 |
| 1997 | S. Infantis and S. Anatum | 109 | 2 U.S. states | Alfalfa, mung, other | Seed | 14 |
| 1997 | E. coli O157:H7 | 85 | 4 U.S. states | Alfalfa | Seed | 18 |
| 1997-98 | S. Senftenberg | 52 | 2 U.S. states | Clover,alfalfa | Seed and/or sprouter | * |
| 1998 | E. coli O157:NM | 8 | 2 U.S. states | Clover, alfalfa | Seed and/or sprouter | * |
| 1998 | S. Havana, S. Cubana, and S. Tennessee | 34 | 5 U.S. states | Alfalfa | Seed and/or sprouter | * |
aThe number of culture-confirmed cases represents only a small proportion of the total illness in these outbreaks, as many ill persons either do not seek care or do not have a stool culture performed if they do seek care.
bIncludes only culture-confirmed cases in Oregon and British Columbia.
*Mohle-Boetani J., pers. comm.
