Seattle, WA: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, and public health officials in several states are investigating food poisoning stemming from an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) infections.
According to the CDC, the epidemiologic evidence available at this time suggests that rotisserie chicken salad made and sold in Costco Wholesale stores in several states is a likely source of this outbreak: 14 (88%) of 16 people purchased or ate rotisserie chicken salad from Costco in the week before illness started. The majority of illnesses have been reported from states in the western United States.
As of November 23, 2015, 19 people infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O157:H7 have been reported from 7 states. Of those, 5 ill people have been hospitalized, and 2 have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
The ongoing investigation has not identified what specific ingredient in the chicken salad is linked to illness.
On November 20, 2015, Costco reported to public health officials that the company had removed all remaining rotisserie chicken salad from all stores in the U.S. and stopped further production of the product until further notice.
The CDC is advising consumers who purchased rotisserie chicken salad from any Costco store in the United States on or before November 20, 2015, not to eat it and should throw it away.
Even if some of the rotisserie chicken salad has been eaten and no one has gotten sick, throw the rest of the product away, the agency advises.
This product has a typical shelf life of 3 days and is labeled "Chicken Salad made with Rotisserie Chicken" with item number 37719 on the label.
This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview them.
