January 14, 2019

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationExternal investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Agbeni infections.

On November 5, 2018, ConAgra Brands recalledExternal four varieties of Duncan Hines cake mix after health officials in Oregon identified Salmonella Agbeni in a box of Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix. CDC reviewed the PulseNet database and identified seven infections with the same strain of Salmonella Agbeni reported from five states. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC. Whole genome sequencing (DNA fingerprinting) performed on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people in this outbreak showed that the bacteria were closely related genetically. This means that the ill people were more likely to share a common source of infection.

Illnesses started on dates from June 13, 2018, to October 5, 2018. Ill people ranged in age from 26 to 72 years, with a median age of 33. Seventy-one percent were female. No hospitalizations or deaths were reported.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Three ill people were interviewed. Two ill people reported eating cake in the week before their illness began and one reported eating raw cake mix, but brand information was not available. CDC worked with state health departments and FDA to collect more information, but the investigation was not able to determine if these ill people ate cake or raw cake mix produced by Duncan Hines.

Whole genome sequencing analysis did not identify predicted antibiotic resistance in six bacterial isolates:  five isolates from ill people and one from food. One isolate from an ill person contained a gene for resistance to tetracycline. Antibiotic resistance testing by CDC’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System laboratory is underway.

As of January 14, 2019, this outbreak appears to be over. Sometimes outbreaks end before enough information is available to identify the likely source. Officials thoroughly investigate each outbreak, and they are continually working to develop new ways to investigate and solve outbreaks faster.