As of September 24, 2020, a total of 41 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Stanley have been reported from 10 states – Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York City, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 21, 2020, to August 26, 2020. Ill people range in age from 2 to 74 years, with a median age of 27. Sixty-two percent of ill people are female. Of 32 ill people with information available, 4 hospitalizations have been reported. No deaths have been reported.
Epidemiologic and traceback information show that wood ear mushrooms distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc., are the likely source of this outbreak.
The California Department of Public Health collected dried fungus at one of the restaurants linked to an illness cluster for testing. Testing identified Salmonella in a sample of dried fungus distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. WGS analysis is being done to determine if the Salmonella identified in the dried fungus is the same as the Salmonella from ill people.
On September 24, 2020, Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc., issued a recallof all Shirakiku imported dried fungus after the California Department of Public Health found Salmonella in the product.
Restaurants should not sell or serve recalled wood ear mushrooms distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc.