Ten Marylanders have been sickened with salmonella as the outbreak linked to tainted tomatoes continues to spread.
Since April, 383 people from 30 states have been infected with salmonella saintpaul, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The problem is, these [tomatoes] have gotten into the system, and a lot of them are contaminated and they are spread all over the country,” said Jerry Brust, integrated pest management agent for the University of Maryland?s extension office.
Salmonella won?t wash off the fruit?s skin and can get inside the tomato, Brust said.
There is no evidence that locally grown tomatoes are contaminated, but officials aren?t sure where the tainted tomatoes originated, he said.
State health officials confirmed the 10 cases, saying they were scattered across the state.
A Baltimore City resident was first reported ill June 13.
“The difficulty of these investigations is getting people to remember what they ate and where,” said Alan Brench, chief of the food processing division at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Some people might be sickened a day after eating tainted tomatoes, and others might take a few days to see symptoms, he said. It also takes weeks to test for salmonella and determine if it?s the same strain.
As more cases are reported, there are likely countless more cases that aren?t, because some people might become ill and not attribute it to the salmonella outbreak, Brench said.
“There may be an order of magnitude of cases out there,” he said.
Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, according to the CDC. A small number of people with salmonella develop joint pain, irritation of the eyes and painful urination, a condition called Reiter?s syndrome, which can last for months or years, and lead to chronic arthritis, the CDC said.
The outbreak has been linked to raw plum, Roma and round tomatoes. Tomato varieties not linked to the outbreak are cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes and tomatoes with the vine still attached, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
