In the last few months, at least 155 people in several states have become ill from a pair of rare strains of salmonella. And according to authorities, the source of the salmonella is food served at Taco Bell.

“It’s been clear for weeks that Taco Bell was the source for many of the illnesses,” an epidemiologist from Oregon Public Health explained. “It’s equally clear that it’s not all Taco Bell. It’s also not a single Taco Bell restaurant.”

The cases of salmonellosis began popping up in April with most instances located in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Centers for Disease Control has been investigating the outbreak and recently confirmed that a fast food chain that serves Mexican food was the source.

It’s believed that the culprit is likely tomatoes and/or lettuce and it’s likely that the initial source of the outbreak is one of the chain’s produce suppliers.

Officials believe that the outbreak has finished, but the investigation is ongoing.

The two strains of salmonella involved in the outbreak — Hartford and Baildon — are rarely seen in the U.S.; the last Baildon outbreak was in 1988-89. When ingested, they cause symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Taco Bell Source of Salmonella [Food Safety News]

Taco Bell implicated in two salmonella outbreaks sickening more than 150 [OregonLive.com]

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