Salmonella cases may be linked to peanut butter

ATLANTA -- A salmonella outbreak that has slowly grown to nearly 300 cases in 39 states since August may be linked to tainted peanut butter, federal health officials said Wednesday. It is believed to be the first salmonella outbreak associated with peanut butter in U.S. history, said officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 20 percent of the 288 infected people have been hospitalized, but none has died, said Dr. Mike Lynch, a CDC epidemiologist. About 85 percent of the infected people said they ate peanut butter, CDC officials said. How salmonella got into peanut butter is still under investigation, Lynch said. Health officials did not immediately identify a brand they believe to be linked with the outbreak. The largest number of cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri. Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken about 40,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC.

Salmonellosis, as the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.

Symptoms of salmonella can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.

The new outbreak began in August, but just two or fewer cases have been reported each day, CDC officials said.

It was only in the past few days that investigators were able to hone in on a particular food, Lynch said.

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Associated Press writer Andrew Bridges in Washington contributed to this report.