Arizona reports most salmonella cases linked to cantaloupe recall. Here's what to know

As federal and state agencies continued to investigate an ongoing salmonella outbreak caused by cantaloupes nationwide, the state of Arizona leads for the number of those reported to be sick.

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged people not to eat, sell, or serve cantaloupe products that were recently recalled. Some of the recalled products were sold at retail stores in Arizona.

The FDA and CDC were investigating an outbreak of salmonella that got at least 43 people sick across 15 states, with 17 of those people being hospitalized, the agency said on Friday.

Arizona topped the chart, with seven people reportedly sick as of Friday, according to CDC data. It was unknown how many of those individuals were hospitalized.

State and local public health officials interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 29 people they interviewed, 15 reported exposure to cantaloupe, according to the CDC.

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Which cantaloupe brands are recalled?

Three brands, whose products were sold in more than a dozen states and Canada, recently recalled fresh cantaloupe and pineapple products due to a possible salmonella contamination.

On Nov. 15, Sofia Produce LLC, which operates under the name Trufresh, recalled all sizes of fresh cantaloupe with a label that says "Malichita". The recalled fruits were sold between Oct. 16-23.

Aldi announced a recall on cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with best-by dates between Oct. 27-31.

Last week, Vinyard Fruit and Vegetable Company initiated a voluntary recall of all fresh-cut cantaloupe products, including cantaloupe chunks and cubes, fruit mixes, melon medleys, and fruit cups containing cantaloupes. Most products had a "Vinyard" label and some had a "Fresh" label which were distributed in Oklahoma from Oct. 30 to Nov. 10.

According to the FDA, in addition to Arizona, recalled products were sold at retail stores in California, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida, and Canada.

The agency warned that the list may not be all-inclusive, as the fruit products could have reached consumers through further retail distribution.

What is salmonella? Here's what to know

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children younger than 5, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.

People usually fall sick within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. More severe cases may include symptoms of high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, and blood in the urine or stool.

The illness usually lasts four to seven days and most people recover without treatment.

When did people start getting sick?

The earliest case related to the outbreak dates back to Oct. 17, according to CDC data when only one case was reported. Most of the days since then, between one and two cases had been reported.

The number of cases increased between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1, ranging from one to seven cases. Oct. 24 and Oct. 25 tied for the highest number of cases reported in one day, which was seven.

It is unknown when the first case in Arizona was documented.

The CDC stated that recent illness may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak and that the true number of sick people related to this situation is likely much higher than the number reported. They said that is because many people recover without medical care and may not have been tested for salmonella.

What do health officials recommend?

The FDA gave consumers some guidance on how to approach the outbreak:

• Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled cantaloupe and products containing cantaloupe.

• Some people freeze cantaloupe for later use. Consumers, restaurants and retailers should check their freezers and throw away any of the fresh or cut items that were recently recalled.

• If you cannot tell if your cantaloupe is part of the recall, do not eat or use it and throw it away.

• Follow the FDA's safe handling and cleaning advice. Use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

• Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a salmonella infection after eating recalled cantaloupe.

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USA Today reporter Gabe Hauari contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona leads in salmonella cases linked to cantaloupe recall