In July 2013 the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) identified a cluster of three Salmonella Livingstone cases, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern LIV4 (Minnesota designation). One of the cases reported purchasing, slaughtering and processing a goat at a live animal market on July 6, the day of a family gathering in Ham Lake. Food served at the gathering included goat soup, grilled goat, rice and vegetables.

MDH received a partial list of attendees through interviews with cases. Attendees were interviewed by MDH staff using an outbreak questionnaire about party attendance, food and beverage consumption, foods prepared for the gathering, contact with raw meat and organs, and illness history.

Four of the 11 individuals interviewed met the case definition. Three of the four attended the gathering. A fourth case participated in the slaughter and processing. Three cases sought medical attention. One was hospitalized. There was no leftover meat available for testing. Health department officials concluded that the outbreak was associated with slaughtering, processing and/or eating meat and organs of the goat.