ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called in 30 employees furloughed during the federal government shutdown to work on theSalmonella Heidelberg outbreak involving Foster Farms poultry products.


The CDC, like other federal agencies, has been operating under contingency plans; of the 80 workers that analyze foodborne pathogens, only two were on duty as of Oct. 8, according to news reports. The 30 investigators are tasked with finding additional cases, characterizing the outbreak and determining antibiotic resistance of the bacteria, according to a MedPagereport. Some of theSalmonellastrains associated with the outbreak have been found to be resistant to one or more antibiotics.

Investigators have been unable to link the illnesses to a specific product or production period. No recall is in effect.