Babies Are Contracting Salmonella After Handling Pet Food, FDA Warns

MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Two federal health agencies are investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to dog food that has sickened seven people in seven states, nearly all of them infants.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a recall of Victor Hi-Pro Plus dry dog food, a brand tied to the outbreak, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued a health alert advising people what to do to avoid infection.

Included in the recall are several other brands of dry dog and cat food sold by the maker of Hi-Pro Plus, Mid America Pet Food. The company has voluntarily recalled all the pet food brands it manufactured with a best-by date before 10/31/2024, which include Victor, Eagle Mountain, Wayne Feeds, and two varieties of Member's Mark pet foods. These products include both dog and cat foods and were sold in retail stores and online, the FDA said.

Six of the seven Salmonella cases involved children aged 1 year or younger, the FDA noted. Five of the cases reported exposure to dogs and three reported feeding Victor pet food to their pets. One person was hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

According to the CDC alert, those who have fallen ill were infected by touching contaminated dog food and dog bowls or by touching the poop or saliva of dogs that were fed contaminated dog food. The strain involved in the outbreak, Salmonella kiambu, was discovered in the pet foods during routine testing, the CDC said.

To avoid infection, the CDC recommended that pet owners place the recalled pet food in a sealed trash bag before throwing it out, to avoid wildlife getting infected with the bacteria. Pet owners should also clean any and all surfaces that may have come into contact with the pet food.

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