LYNCHBURG, Va. – There’s some concern in the Lynchburg area after several Jif peanut butter products were pulled from store shelves due to a salmonella outbreak.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the outbreak is linked to a Lexington, Kentucky manufacturing facility.
At least 14 people have reported the illness, two of which have resulted in hospitalizations. The outbreak spans across 12 states so far, including Virginia.
“We normally buy Jif. With the recall, I decided to go and check the pantry to see if this is part of it,” Meagan Irving says. “Sure enough, it was. Thankfully, we probably only had about two tablespoons taken out of it.”
Irving bought a jar at Kroger in Appomattox about a week ago. Her 13-year-old was the only one to eat the peanut butter.
She isn’t sick, but Irving is keeping a close eye on her.
“I have seen a lot of people saying that they’ve gotten sick or a household member has gotten sick,” she adds.
People in the Lynchburg area are sharing their concerns on Facebook. Some say they’re sick and others warn which stores may still have it.
“Salmonella is one of the bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness with fever,” Director of Infectious Disease at LewisGale Medical Center Dr. Muddasar Chaudry says. “The symptoms generally are fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.”
Dr. Chaudry says symptoms show up between 12 hours and three days.
He says unless a person is immunocompromised or symptoms become severe, especially diarrhea, seeing a doctor isn’t necessary.
“For the most part, between the ages of one and 50 years of age, people recover spontaneously,” he adds. “You should stay well hydrated, make sure that your intake is good and there’s no blood in the stools.”
Health experts say people who may have salmonella shouldn’t take any medication unless it’s prescribed by a doctor. They also suggest washing hands often to avoid spreading it, and of course, throw contaminated jars out.
Click here for a full list of recalled products.