Investigation Update: Salmonella Outbreak, October 2026

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Telelkebir infections.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that oysters from Little Wicomico River harvest area may be contaminated with Salmonella and may be making people sick in this outbreak.

Epidemiologic Data

Cases

Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 29, 2026, to September 14, 2026. The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

Demographics

Public health officials collect many different types of information from sick people, including their age, race, ethnicity, other demographics, and the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. This information provides clues to help investigators identify the source of the outbreak.

The table below has information about sick people in this outbreak ("n" is the number of people with information available for each demographic).

Food exposure

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 13 people interviewed, 10 (77%) reported eating raw oysters. This percentage is significantly higher than the 1.6% of respondents who reported eating raw oysters in the FoodNet Population Survey—a survey that helps estimate how often people eat various foods linked to diarrheal illness. This difference suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating raw oysters.

Laboratory and Traceback Data

Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak may have gotten sick from the same food.

Based on WGS analysis, bacteria from 27 people's samples did not predict resistance to any antibiotics. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site.

Officials in Pennsylvania collected samples of raw oysters from a distributor that supplied oysters to restaurants where ill people reported eating. One oyster sample harvested by the Little Wicomico Oyster Company from the Little Wicomico River tested positive for Salmonella. WGS analysis is pending to determine whether this Salmonella is the same as the strain causing the multistate outbreak.

Oyster traceback information was provided by state and local authorities to state shellfish authorities and FDA for 7 of the 10 sick people who reported eating raw oysters. FDA worked with states to conduct traceback to identify sources of oysters consumed by sick people. Oysters reported by ill people were harvested from multiple geographic locations, but oysters harvested from the Little Wicomico River by Little Wicomico Oyster Company were the only oysters in common to the seven ill people included in traceback.

Public Health Actions

CDC advises people not to eat, serve, or sell recalled oysters.