Forty-five more people have been sickened by salmonella that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said is linked to the drug kratom, bringing the total number of illnesses to 132.
The last report from the CDC came March 15, and since then people in three additional states – Connecticut, Iowa and Idaho – have had salmonella. In total, 38 states have reported illnesses.
No one has died as a result of being infected with salmonella, a type of food poisoning that causes stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Forty percent of affected people have been hospitalized.
Not every person who was infected has admitted to taking kratom, an herbal supplement that can be smoked, sipped in tea, or taken as tablets. People who take it have said it helps relieve chronic pain and depression, and it can work as a replacement for opioids. Some people take it for its stimulating effects.
Kratom is legal and has not been scheduled by the Drug Enforcement Administration, but the Food and Drug Administration has encouraged people not to take kratom, and has published studies detailing deaths associated with its use. Supporters of keeping the drug legal for research purposes note the death certificates often mention the possible involvement other drugs.
The FDA ordered a mandatory recall of kratom products by Triangle Pharmanaturals this week. The company’s products, which tested positive for salmonella, were not linked with the current outbreak, however. FDA and CDC officials have said they are continuing their investigation.
