Alfalfa sprout outbreak reaches South Carolina

BEAUFORT, S.C. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says an outbreak of two pathogens linked to alfalfa sprouts has reached South Carolina.

The CDC says one case is confirmed in South Carolina, but it’s likely there are more that haven’t been reported.

Dr. Steven Goldberg, chief medical officer for HealthTrack, a healthcare organization that rapidly tests for infectious diseases, said the case numbers are concerning.

“The numbers we’re seeing already are concerning,” Goldberg said. “We shouldn’t be seeing outbreaks of foodborne illness.”

STEC E. coli a main concern

Dr. Kurt Gambla, chief medical officer at Beaufort Memorial, said the specific type of E. coli, known as STEC, is the main concern doctors are monitoring.

“The bug produces this toxin, it gets in the bloodstream, attaches to cells, and it literally destroys them, like blows them up,” Dr. Gambla said. “And then it irritates the intestinal lining, but also does the same thing with the kidneys. It can get into the kidneys and just destroy the kidneys from inside out.”

Dr. Gambla said both E. coli and salmonella can be foodborne illnesses, and symptoms can be similar, including vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. He said bloody diarrhea is the most serious symptom, along with high fever. He said it’s unusual for two pathogens to be in the same food.

Dr. Gambla said supportive care is recommended, including pushing fluids.

Why sprouts pose a risk

Dr. Gambla said a big problem with sprouts is they grow in warm, humid environments, which also supports the bacteria. He said any food that may have touched the sprouts should be thrown out.

Dr. Gambla said there are many types of E. coli, but the STEC-producing type is the one most watched. He said there is no way to tell or look at produce to know if it’s contaminated, and it’s important to monitor which distributors are being recalled and to watch for those.

The CDC says it identified Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands as the infected seller.

“Produce that’s infected can look just like regular produce, so there’s no way to know just by looking at it,” Dr Gambla said.

Dr. Goldberg said producing sprouts safely requires a clean environment. He said the challenge is that dangerous bacteria can be in the seed itself. He said preparation is very important, and clean seeds are needed to start, along with clean water. He said testing of seeds and sprouts is also part of the process.

Gaps in food safety process

Dr. Goldberg said there are ways to limit the foodborne illnesses being seen repeatedly.

“My own view is we’re seeing another food outbreak because of gaps in both the food manufacturer’s process and also government surveillance of food,” Goldberg said. “And we all need to step up.”

Dr. Goldberg said sprouts cannot be washed to get them clean, and the safest step is to throw away the sprouts and any food they may have touched.

“100%, they cannot be consumed, period, stop,” Goldberg said. “They have to be returned to the manufacturer or destroyed. That’s it.”

Who is most at risk

Dr. Goldberg said children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems face higher risk.

“They’re either having one or two bugs, and one of the bugs can really make you sick,” Goldberg said. “So that’s the concerning part about this outbreak.”