Axtell Days Festival Salmonella Outbreak in Kansas

Kansas health officials are investigating a Salmonella outbreak among people who attended the Axtell Days Festival in Axtell, Kansas, from August 6 through August 9, 2026.

The Marshall County Health Department (MCD) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) are asking everyone who attended, including people who did not become sick, to complete an outbreak survey so investigators can determine the source and scope of the illnesses.

The investigation was first reported by WIBW on August 24. Officials have not publicly released the number of people sick or hospitalized, reported any deaths, identified the Salmonella serotype, or named a food, drink, booth, caterer or vendor as the source. The cause of the outbreak remains under investigation.

Axtell Days Salmonella Outbreak: What We Know

How Health Officials Are Investigating the Axtell Days Salmonella Outbreak

The attendee outbreak survey is a key part of the Axtell Days Salmonella investigation. Health officials are asking everyone who attended the festival to respond, not just people who became sick. By comparing what ill attendees ate, drank and did with the experiences of people who stayed well, investigators can look for exposures that appear more often among people with Salmonella.

Laboratory testing can provide another important piece of the investigation. Symptoms alone cannot confirm Salmonella. The CDC’s clinical guidance for Salmonella says laboratory testing is needed to confirm an infection and that culture is the gold standard. If you became sick after Axtell Days, tell your healthcare provider that you attended the festival and ask for Salmonella testing.

When laboratories obtain Salmonella isolates from patients, public health officials can use whole genome sequencing to determine whether the bacteria are closely related. A genetic match does not identify the source by itself. Investigators also consider where people were, what they ate or drank, when their symptoms began and, when a suspected food emerges, whether traceback evidence points to a common source.

Pritzker Hageman’s Salmonella outbreak FAQ explains how laboratory and epidemiological evidence can help determine whether an individual illness is part of an outbreak.

What Investigators Still Need to Determine

Health officials have not publicly identified how many illnesses are connected to Axtell Days or what caused the outbreak.

Outbreak investigations often develop in stages. Surveys and interviews can identify common exposures, laboratory testing can help determine whether illnesses are related, and traceback records can help investigators follow a suspected food through the supply chain.

Those pieces do not always provide answers at the same time. An outbreak can be under active investigation before officials know its full size or source. At this stage, the investigation has not established a specific food, drink or business as the cause of the reported illnesses.

Is the Axtell Days Outbreak Linked to the 2026 Jalapeño Salmonella Outbreak?

Kansas is also one of the states included in a separate federal Salmonella Javiana outbreak linked to recalled fresh jalapeños. That multistate jalapeño Salmonella outbreak has been connected by CDC and FDA to recalled jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.

No public health agency has said the Axtell Days illnesses are part of that jalapeño outbreak. The FDA’s current jalapeño outbreak investigation identifies that federal outbreak separately. The existence of two Salmonella investigations affecting Kansas does not establish that they have the same source.

What Should You Do If You Attended Axtell Days?

1. Get medical care if you are sick. Tell your provider about the festival and ask for Salmonella testing. Do not delay treatment.
2. Ask about Salmonella testing. A laboratory-confirmed diagnosis can help determine whether your illness is part of the outbreak and may provide an isolate that public health investigators can compare with other cases.
3. Complete the health department survey. Respond whether you became sick or stayed well. Comparing responses from ill and healthy attendees can help investigators identify a common exposure and determine the scope of the outbreak.
4. Report your illness and respond to follow-up questions. If you became sick, notify the health department and provide accurate information about your symptoms, timing and what you ate or drank. If you do not remember something, say so rather than guessing.
5. Preserve important records. Save laboratory results, medical records, receipts, card statements, photographs, messages, calendar entries and other information showing what you ate or drank and when your symptoms began.
6. Talk to a Salmonella lawyer. If you were diagnosed with Salmonella or became seriously ill after attending Axtell Days, an attorney can help you understand your legal options and make sure important evidence is preserved while the outbreak investigation continues.

Symptoms to Watch for After Attending Axtell Days

Common Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache and loss of appetite. Symptoms can begin within hours or several days after exposure, which can make it difficult to identify exactly where an infection came from without an outbreak investigation.

For someone who became sick after attending Axtell Days, getting tested for Salmonella can be important medically and legally. A laboratory-confirmed diagnosis gives public health investigators evidence they may be able to compare with illnesses in other attendees. It can also become important evidence in a Salmonella lawsuit if investigators ultimately identify the source of the outbreak.

Some Salmonella infections cause serious complications or require hospitalization. Pritzker Hageman represents people with severe foodborne illnesses and families who have lost a loved one. Our Salmonella lawyers investigate how an infection happened, who may be legally responsible and what evidence is needed to establish a claim.

Contact Pritzker Hageman About a Serious Salmonella Illness

If you or a family member has been seriously sickened by Salmonella, the Salmonella lawyers at Pritzker Hageman can investigate how the infection happened and determine whether you may have a legal claim. Our firm represents people who have been hospitalized, developed serious complications, or suffered other severe outcomes from foodborne illness, including illnesses linked to outbreaks.

Call 1-888-377-8900, text 612-261-0856, or request a free, confidential consultation. There is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Axtell Days Salmonella Outbreak FAQ