A food distributor, Agromod Produce from Texas, has claimed that papayas grown in Mexico led to the spread of the disease called salmonella as 97 people in 23 different states had contracted the disease. The firm warned against consumption of papayas sold by four brands Blondie, Mañanita, Tastylicious and Yaya.

Around 10 people were admitted in the hospital, the salmonella further resulted in diarrhea but no reports of death due to the disease has been confirmed yet. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes incurable infections in young children, weak or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of salmonella are fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare instances, salmonella can get into the bloodstream and produce arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.

The Food and Drug Administration revealed that the epidemic Salmonella Agona was found in papayas in the region of the McAllen, Texas, and at the US border. None of the papayas were exported, further ten papaya samples were tested for salmonella and were found to be positive. The FDA has recommenced people to stop consuming papayas from Agromod and throw the fruit in a closed container so that neither of the stray dogs and cats contract the disease.