Nearly 100 sickened in US salmonella outbreak linked to recalled eggs

LOS ANGELES -- Nearly 100 people have fallen ill in a multistate salmonella outbreak in the United States linked to recalled eggs, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

A total of 95 cases across 14 states have been confirmed as the same strain of salmonella, with 18 hospitalizations but no deaths reported, according to the CDC. California accounted for the majority, with 73 infections.

In response, Country Eggs, LLC, a small-scale egg farm based in Lucerne Valley, California, announced a recall of its "Large Brown Cage Free Sunshine Yolks" eggs on Wednesday due to potential salmonella contamination, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. The recalled eggs were distributed in California and Nevada to grocery stores and food service distributors.

The CDC urged the public not to eat the recalled eggs, to clean any surfaces or utensils that may have come into contact with them using hot, soapy water or a dishwasher, and to seek medical care if they develop severe symptoms.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of salmonella infection typically include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, beginning six hours to six days after exposure. Most people recover within four to seven days without treatment. However, children under the age of five, adults aged 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems face higher risks of severe illness requiring medical care or hospitalization, according to the CDC.