While most of the food-safety attention this summer has gone to the cyclospora outbreak, a second investigation has been quietly growing. The CDC is now tracking an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella linked to recalled alfalfa sprouts — 55 people sick across 15 states, with 4 hospitalizations, as of the CDC's August 24 update. Two people managed to get infected with both bugs at once. The investigation is still open, so those numbers may climb.
Here's what you need to know, plus something most outbreak coverage skips entirely: what days of diarrhea do to the skin and veins around your backside, and how to help that area recover.
The recalled product is alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts, LLC, sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brand names in 5-oz containers, lot numbers 222, 223, 225, 226, and 230. The same sprouts also went into Everything Sprouts Crunchy Protein Sprout Mix and Zesty Garlic Mix with those lot numbers. Confirmed distribution so far is Minnesota and Wisconsin, but the FDA notes the product may have reached additional states — and cases have shown up from Florida to Washington.
Both infections usually start one to three days after eating contaminated food (Salmonella can hit within hours). Watch for diarrhea that lasts more than two days, fever over 102°F, bloody stools, vomiting that keeps you from holding down liquids, or signs of dehydration like dizziness and barely urinating.
If you think you have either infection, see a doctor. Diagnosis requires a stool test, and treatment decisions — including whether antibiotics are appropriate — need to be made by a clinician. This is doubly true for young children, older adults, pregnant women, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
Days of urgent, frequent bowel movements are one of the most reliable ways to trigger a hemorrhoid flare, or to inflame one that was minding its own business. The repeated straining and sitting irritate the veins around the anus, and constant wiping strips the skin raw. Many people come out the other side of a foodborne illness with burning, itching, and swelling that lingers well after the infection is gone.
To be clear: hemorrhoid products do nothing against E. coli, Salmonella, or any infection. The infection is your doctor's territory. What you can do at home is protect the skin and manage hemorrhoid symptoms while your body recovers.
Dry toilet paper on raw skin makes everything worse. Rinse with water when you can, then pat dry — don't rub. A dedicated hygienic cleansing lotion lets you clean the area gently without the scrubbing that keeps irritation going.
Ten to fifteen minutes in a few inches of warm water, once or twice a day, soothes irritated tissue and helps you actually relax the muscles down there. Adding a sitz bath soak made for this purpose is an easy upgrade over plain water.
Once the diarrhea has settled, if you're left with a painful, swollen flare, a cream like Advanced Hemorrhoid Cream — 5% lidocaine paired with phenylephrine — can temporarily numb the pain and reduce swelling while the area heals. If raw soreness is the main complaint, a 5% lidocaine numbing cream focuses on temporary pain relief. Use either as directed on the label, and hold off on applying creams to broken skin until you've checked with a doctor or pharmacist.
Water, broth, and oral rehydration solutions first. Then ease back into food with bland, easy options before returning to your normal diet — your gut and your bottom will both thank you for not going straight back to hot wings.
Raw sprouts have a long outbreak track record because the warm, humid conditions that sprout seeds are also ideal for growing bacteria. If someone in your house is pregnant, very young, elderly, or immunocompromised, cooking sprouts thoroughly — or skipping them — is a reasonable standing policy, outbreak or not.
For current case counts and the full recall list, check the CDC outbreak page and the FDA investigation page — both are being updated as the investigation continues.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you suspect a foodborne infection or have persistent rectal bleeding or pain, see a healthcare provider.