A possible Iowa E coli outbreak has sickened several children, according to the Telegraph Herald. The children, who live in Maquoketa in Jackson County, have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure, and have been hospitalized at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City.
The source of the pathogen has not been identified by local health officials. The Jackson County Health Department is trying to determine what have might have caused this outbreak.
The type of E. coli bacteria that causes HUS is called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC. The pathogen produces Shiga toxins, which attack the intestinal lining, causing bloody diarrhea. The toxin then travels through the bloodstream, where it attacks and kills red blood cells. When the destroyed red blood cells reach the kidneys, they clog small tubes called glomeruli, which causes kidney failure.
In the past, STEC outbreaks have been linked to yogurt, ground beef, restaurants, ground bison, raw sprouts, raw (unpasteurized) milk, flour, and romaine lettuce. This pathogen can also be spread from person to person. Since HUS is much more common in children under the age of five, daycare centers and schools must practice careful hygiene to prevent this spread of this and other illnesses.
You can contact food safety attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Noted food safety attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients in lawsuits against grocery stores and food processors, said, “Any E. coli infection is a tragedy, but there’s nothing worse than watching your child suffer from this illness and especially from HUS. We hope that this outbreak is solved quickly so no more children are sickened, and that the children who have been affected recover quickly.”
Symptoms of an E. coli infection include a mild fever, nausea, vomiting, severe and painful abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Symptoms of HUS usually begin a few days after E. coli symptoms, and include little or no urine output, dark urine, lethargy, pale skin, a skin rash, and easy bruising. It’s crucial that anyone with an E coli infection not be treated with antibiotics, since that treatment can increase the chance of HUS development.
If your child has been experiencing these symtpoms, call your doctor as soon as possible. He or she may be part of this Iowa E. coli outbreak.
If you or a loved one have been sickened with an E. coli infection or hemolytic uremic syndrome, please contact our experienced Minnesota lawyers for help at 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
