Where People Got Sick: E. coli and Salmonella Outbreak, August 2026

For Everyone

Key points

This outbreak is over. CDC and public health officials in several states investigated a multistate outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella infections linked to alfalfa sprouts. Raw and undercooked sprouts are a common cause of foodborne illness. Cooking sprouts until steaming hot can lower your risk. Always take steps to prevent getting sick from E. coli and Salmonella.

White bowl with alfalfa sprouts

Where people got sick

This map shows where the 77 people in this E. coli and Salmonella outbreak lived.

This outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people was likely much higher than the number reported. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli or Salmonella.

Content Source
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)
About this page
Published: August 21, 2026
Updated: November 9, 2026

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: November 9, 2026

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.