The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Uganda infections linked to Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas distributed by Agroson’s LLC.

Consumers in the U.S. should not eat any Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas; however, consumers no longer need to avoid other papayas imported from Mexico.

A total of 71 people, including 27 who were hospitalized, have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Uganda in eight states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Jan. 14 to June 16, with most illnesses have occurred since April 2019. Illnesses might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of two to four weeks.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Of 26 people who were interviewed, 20 (77 percent) reported eating papayas. This proportion was significantly higher than results from a survey of healthy people in the months of January through June in which 13 percent reported eating papayas in the week before they were interviewed.

The FDA and regulatory officials in several states collected records from grocery stores where ill people reported buying papayas. These records showed that Cavi brand papayas were sold at multiple grocery stores where ill people bought papayas. Cavi brand papayas distributed by Agroson’s LLC of the Bronx, NY, would have been available for purchase by cases in the time prior to illness at these stores.