An E. coli outbreak in Marin County, CA has sickened six people, according to the latest upadte from public health officials. Four of the patients are children.
Five cases of confirmed E.coli infection and one presumed case have been recorded by Marin County health officials since Sept. 22. Four of those sickened have required hospitalization. Two remain hospitalized in stable condition, two have been discharged.
Health officials are interviewing the patients who are from Tiburon, San Anselmo, Inverness and San Rafael to determine if the cases share a common source and if they are linked to cases outside of Marin County.
The Public Health Laboratory is performing DNA fingerprinting on the bacteria found in stool samples from each patient. This will determine if they were all infected with the same strain.
E. coli bacteria lives in the intestines of animals. People get E.coli infections when they eat food contaminated with microscopic amounts fecal matter. Symptoms of an infection include abdominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea that is sometimes bloody. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor.
Marin County health officials remind everyone that using good hygiene can reduce the risk of food poisoning. This includes washing hands with soap and water after changing diapers or using the bathroom and before preparing or eating food, using a meat thermometer to make sure meats are cooked thoroughly, and washing hands, counters, cutting boards and utensils after touching raw meat.
