Salmonella on the rise amid cyclosporiasis outbreak
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Foodborne illnesses are on the rise, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services continues to report increasing cases of cyclosporiasis and, recently, salmonella.
Last week, the CDC linked the salmonella outbreak to jalapeños from Coast Citrus Distributors, which come from Sinaloa, Mexico. Following that recall, Chipotle and QDOBA pulled the product from their menu. The CDC and the FDA have cleared the restaurants as safe after reviewing the actions following the recall.
On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration issued recalls for the Spicy Jarlsberg Dip and Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip, both of which are sold at Kroger stores in Missouri. There are three Kroger stores in the state, located in Rolla, Troy and Poplar Bluff. The recall also includes Gerbes, which is run by Kroger.
DHSS reports 539 cases of salmonella in Missouri, and the CDC salmonella tracking map reports that Missouri has seven cases. Nationally, 345 people in 27 states have been affected by the illness.
Columbia/Boone County Health Department spokesperson Austin Krohn said 101 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases have been reported here since the outbreak began.
MU Health Care has treated 100 cases of cyclosporiasis.
"This is probably the largest outbreak in recent memory for cyclosporiasis that we've seen," MU Health Care Dr. Christopher Sampson said.
He said cases have seemed to slow down, especially compared to previous weeks.
Boone County has 19 cases this year of salmonella, Krohn said. In 2025 and 2024, Boone County had 35 cases, and in 2023 there were 42 cases.
State health department data for salmonella cases were not immediately available.
Sampson said the hospital hasn't treated an abnormal number of salmonella cases, but there are a few patients every couple of months.
"We normally, typically see a few cases every one to two months," Sampson said. "A lot of those are from farm exposures or undercooked meat."
Symptoms of salmonella are stomach cramps, watery diarrhea and sometimes bloody stools, Sampson said. Symptoms typically last four to seven days, but go away on their own.
People with severe symptoms, including a high fever or dehydration, should consult with a doctor, Sampson said. The best way to prevent the bacterial infection is through hand washing, especially after touching animals, and thoroughly cooking meat.
