Salmonella contamination in dog food linked to outbreak in humans

Governmental officials have linked an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis infection in humans with dry dog food from a Diamond Pet Foods manufacturing facility in South Carolina.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, and state officials are investigating the ongoing outbreak. As of early May, the investigation had identified 14 people in nine states infected with the outbreak strain. Among nine individuals for whom information was available, five had been hospitalized but none had died.

On April 2, Michigan officials detected Salmonella organisms in Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice Formula dry dog food during retail surveillance. Public health investigators matched the Salmonella strain from the dog food with the outbreak strain.

In interviews, seven of 10 infected individuals reported contact with a dog in the week before becoming ill. Five recalled a type of dog food with which they had contact, and four identified Diamond dry dog food that may have been manufactured at a single facility in South Carolina.

As part of the investigation, Ohio officials tested Diamond dog food. They isolated the outbreak strain from an opened bag of Diamond Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula dry dog food from the home of an infected individual and from an unopened bag of the product from a retailer.

A sample of Diamond Puppy Formula dry dog food collected by the FDA during an inspection at the South Carolina manufacturing facility also yielded Salmonella Infantis.

Diamond has issued recalls of certain dry pet food that it manufactured at the South Carolina manufacturing facility, including the three aforementioned products. Other pet food companies also have recalled certain products manufactured by Diamond at the facility.

Details about recent recalls of pet food and other animal feed are available at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls by clicking on the “Animal Health” tab.