The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a Salmonella outbreak that had infected seven individuals across six states as of April 24, 2025. 

According to the CDC website’s information on the investigation, the first case of Salmonella Mbandaka in the current outbreak was reported on February 9, 2025, and nearly half of the cases involved children younger than 5 years. Five of the seven patients reported contact with backyard poultry prior to developing Salmonella infection. Public health officials are using the PulseNet system to identify other potential cases. The bacteria tested so far do not suggest challenges from antibiotic resistance, according to the CDC. 

Tomatoes Not Yet Implicated, but Recalled

Although specific products have not yet been identified as the source of the outbreak, an Indiana-based company Ray & Mascari Inc is recalling 4 Count clam shell packages of Vine Ripe Tomatoes because of potential Salmonella contamination, according to a company announcement shared on the US Food & Drug Administration website. 

No illnesses related to the tomatoes have been reported, but the potential presence of Salmonella in the facility that processes the tomatoes prompted the recall, according to the company announcement. Distributors who have received recalled tomatoes have been alerted, and consumers who purchased the products should discard them, according to the company.

Public Health Message Is Prevention

The message for the general public remains one of prevention, according to the CDC, which offers advice for the safe egg handling and cleanliness related to backyard poultry. The CDC recommends that children younger than 5 years should not touch or handle chicks, ducklings, or other poultry because of the increased risk for Salmonella infection in individuals of this age group.