February 16, 2007
Lee County -- Nationwide, there are 300 confirmed cases of salmonella infection linked to this peanut butter, and may be many more unconfirmed cases.
A Lee County woman, sickened after eating the peanut butter, is waiting to find out whether she has the bacteria.
Thirty year old Susan Stewart loves peanut butter, she's gone through a jar and a half in the last three weeks. "Sandwiches and stuff, I'll eat it by the spoonful too," she says.
She's also been sick for the last three weeks, but hasn't known why, until yesterday when she checked the code on the top of her Great Value Peanut Butter jar. "I've had diarrhea, severe diarrhea, and chills and just achiness and severe nausea, I can usually keep that down, and just a fever."
Susan and her husband Grady worry the very thing Susan's been eating to attempt to soothe her stomach was exactly what was making her sick. "We've had a lot of sleepless nights and things like that because she just has not felt good," Grady said Stewart said.
Susan made another trip to the doctor's today and had more tests done. Right now, Susan's quit eating her favorite snack, and plans to find a new brand. "I like peanut butter, but I think Jif may be my brand now."
While her stomach continues to ache, Susan hopes now that she's possibly targeted the cause of her illness, she can work on feeling better.
The Stewarts have been talking with the health department and are working with the epidemiologist to determine if she's positive for the Salmonella bacteria.
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