An E. coli O103 and O121 outbreak linked to Northfork Bison ground bison and Bison Burgers/Buffalo Burgers has sickened at least 21 people in 7 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These products are imported from Canada.
The case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Florida (4), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (2), New York (9), and Pennsylvania (3). Eight people have been hospitalized. No cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, have been reported. Illness onset dates range from March 18 to June 18, 2019. The patient age range is from 6 to 79 years. Six people are sick with E. coli O103, 13 are sick with E. coli O121, and 2 people are sick with both of these pathogens.
Epidemiologic and traceback information indicate that ground bison produced by Northfork Bison Distributions is the likely source of this outbreak. Patients were interviewed by investigators. Of nine people interviewed, six, or 67%, ate or maybe ate ground bison the week before they got sick. They ate the bison in burgers from several different restaurants or ate ground bison at home.
Officials collected records from the restaurants where the ill persons ate the bison. Northfork Bison Distributions sold the ground bison to several of these restaurants.
You can contact food safety attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900.
Northfork Bison Distributions recalled ground bison and bison patties (called Bison Burgers or Buffalo Burgers) on July 16, 2019. If you purchased this product, throw it away. Restaurants and retailers should not see or serve recalled ground bison.
Investigators are using the PulseNet system to try to identify people who may be part of this outbreak. Whole genome sequencing performed on isolates taken from patents show that the bacteria were closely related. That means that the people sickened in this outbreak are more likely to share a common source of infection.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection can include a mild fever, vomiting, painful and severe abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that is bloody and/or watery. Symptoms start a few days to a week after consuming food contaminated by this pathogen. If you have eaten bison or buffalo burgers and have been sick with these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this outbreak.
