Local boy contracts rare form of illness

A 15-month-old Spokane County boy was among four children in Washington and more than four dozen nationwide who contracted a rare form of salmonella poisoning possibly linked to a popular snack food often given to kids, health officials said Thursday.

All codes and expiration dates of Veggie Booty snack food products are being recalled by the manufacturer after the federal Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Thursday not to eat the treats because of the possibility of contamination. Veggie Booty snacks are manufactured by Robert’s American Gourmet in Sea Cliff, N.Y.

The Spokane-area boy was among at least 52 people in 17 states who have been sickened by the rare Salmonella Wandsworth bacteria since March, FDA officials said in a statement. Almost all the illnesses have occurred in children under age 10; most have occurred in toddlers, the agency said. Most of those affected reported bloody diarrhea; four were hospitalized.

The local child became ill early this month, said Dorothy MacEachern, an epidemiologist with the Spokane Regional Health District. In Washington, the four sick children were all under age 5, said Tim Church, a spokesman for the Department of Health. In addition to the Spokane case, there were two cases in Whatcom County and one in King County. All have since recovered, Church noted.

“Lots of parents are concerned,” Church said. “From what I’m told, this is something parents use a lot as a snack for their kids.”

The FDA learned of the illnesses Wednesday from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the outbreak is considered to be ongoing.

Health officials urged consumers to discard the snacks, which are sold in flexible plastic foil bags in 4-ounce, 1-ounce and half-ounce sizes at retailers across the country.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning typically include diarrhea, sometimes bloody, often accompanied by abdominal cramps and fever, usually beginning one to four days after exposure. In infants and others with weak or compromised immune systems, the bacteria can be life-threatening.

Most of the illnesses occurred in New York, where 13 cases were reported, the FDA said. Other states reporting illnesses included California, seven cases; Colorado, five cases; Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont, three cases each; Minnesota, new Hampshire, New Jersey and Wisconsin, two cases each; and Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas, one case each.

The manufacturer said consumers who purchased Veggie Booty and still have the product in their homes should discard the contents and contact the company at (800) 626-7557 for reimbursement.