News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Two Kentucky Deaths From Cantaloupe Salmonella Confirmed

Wikimedia Commons

The Food and Drug Administration says salmonella found at a cantaloupe farm in southwestern Indiana matches the "DNA fingerprint" of the salmonella responsible for killing two Kentuckians and sickening 150 people in 21 states.

FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess says the cantaloupes come from from Chamberlain Farms in Owensville. But she says the FDA is still investigating whether there were other possible sources tied to the outbreak.   Chamberlain Farms voluntarily withdrew its cantaloupes from stores two weeks ago.

Here's what WKMS reported last week on the outbreak.

State health officials have traced a strain of salmonella that’s affected many people in western Kentucky to Indiana-grown cantaloupes. State laboratory tests found a match between the strain and melons grown in southwestern Indiana and sold in Kentucky grocery stores. State epidemiologist Kraig Humbaugh notes these are only early lab results. “We’ve been working with Indiana, and with FDA and CDC to do some trace-backs. Preliminary evidence now indicates that they did come from that region. But we’re still investigating that," Humbaugh said. Around 50 Kentucky cases have been reported. Cases have popped up statewide, but this strain, called salmonellosis, is clustered in the Pennyrile and Green River development districts. Humbaugh says at least two deaths have occurred, one in the Pennyrile district and one in the Green River district. “Now I can’t say that this has directly contributed to their deaths. Their physician would have to say that. But at the time of the death, they had been diagnosed with this particular strain of salmonella," he said. Other states, including Tennessee have seen salmonellosis outbreaks linked to melons from the same region. No Kentucky melons have been linked with the outbreak. Humbaugh says anyone with symptoms of salmonella, such as stomach cramps and diarrhea, should contact a doctor.

Chad Lampe, a Poplar Bluff, Missouri native, was raised on radio. He credits his father, a broadcast engineer, for his technical knowledge, and his mother for the gift of gab. At ten years old he broke all bonds of the FCC and built his own one watt pirate radio station. His childhood afternoons were spent playing music and interviewing classmates for all his friends to hear. At fourteen he began working for the local radio stations, until he graduated high school. He earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Murray State, and a Masters Degree in Mass Communication. In November, 2011, Chad was named Station Manager in 2016.
Related Content