Salmonella enteriditis infection occurred at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas during March and April of 2002.
According to Robert Tauxe, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the Wyndham Salmonella outbreak is geographically the largest in history and the first outbreak to involve the residents of all 50 states. The outbreak was the subject of a wide-ranging eight-week long investigation by the Texas Department of Health.
At least 50 people were confirmed to have salmonella infections linked to their having consumed food at the Wyndham, while another 650 such people from all 50 states reported having symptoms consistent with this illness.
Health department investigators concluded that a hotel food-service worker who had a salmonella infection contaminated food during the preparation process. The victims of the outbreak then were infected by consuming the contaminated food. According to TDH lead epidemiologist, Kathleen Shupe-Ricksecker, "the food most commonly consumed by those who tested positive for salmonellosis was salsa, which was made in the hotel." This salsa was prepared by the infected worker on a daily basis.