CDC: Salmonella linked to ground beef behind 5-state outbreak

Salmonella food poisoning tied to ground beef produced in Michigan has sickened 16 people in five states, according to officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

No one has died, but more than half of those sickened were hospitalized. Nine of the illnesses have been in Michigan, but a few cases were scattered in Arizona, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Seven people ate a raw ground beef dish called kibbeh last month at a suburban Detroit restaurant that wasn't identified. Health officials say consumers should not eat uncooked meat.

The CDC said the cases have been linked to last week's recall of more than 1,000 pounds of ground beef from two Michigan businesses, Troy-based Gab Halal Foods and Sterling Heights-based Jouni Meats.

The agency recommends that consumers do not eat any of the recalled beef products and dispose of any remaining in their home, or return it to the place of purchase. Consumers should also check their freezers for the recalled products.

Within 72 hours of being infected with salmonella bacteria, people may experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. The illness, called salmonellosis, may last from four to seven days and most people will recover without treatment. However, children under the age of 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems may be at a higher risk for more severe illness.

About 42,000 causes of salmonellosis occur in the United States each year.