Is the St. Louis County E. coli outbreak linked to a lettuce blend and a larger multistate outbreak? The FDA seems to think so, but there are conflicting reports in the media.

Since the outbreak was first announced in mid-November, the case count has grown steadily. The source of the pathogen has been difficult to pin down.

Missouri Cases

According to some news reports, the St. Louis County Health Department says there are 115 cases, 13 hospitalizations, and three HUS cases in St. Louis County. In addition, there are patients in seven states tied to this E. coli outbreak. Those states are Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota.

Twenty-five of those cases are St. Louis County residents, including students, staff, and parents from the Rockwood School District, as well as those who attended other catered events and a restaurant.

Andre’s Banquets and Catering has been named as the alleged  source of the food served at the catered events in Missouri. But whole genome sequencing has found that the 25 people who attended Andre’s events are a sub cluster of the larger outbreak, meaning that there is most likely a food common to all of those sickened, not just the food provided by Andre’s.

Further, the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory tested salad that was served at the Andre’s events and it was negative for E. coli bacteria.

FDA Announcement

Today, in an update on the FDA’s CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157 was announced. It is linked to an iceberg and romaine lettuce blend “served at catering events, restaurants, and a school.” That fits the description of the outbreak St. Louis County is investigating. The FDA says that a total of 69 people sickened with the same strain have been reported from 10 states.

This product is now past its shelf life and is no longer on the market, so there is apparently no ongoing risk to the public. There is no recommendation to avoid iceberg or romaine lettuces. The FDA has snot named the grower or supplier of the lettuces, and has not named the states involved. More information will be provided as the investigation continues.

E. coli Symptoms

The symptoms of an E. coli outbreak include a mild fever, possible nausea and vomiting, and the characteristic painful and severe abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. This infection can lead to a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, that is a type of kidney failure. Symptoms of HUS include little or no urine output, easy bruising, a skin rash, lethargy, and pale skin.

If you  or anyone in your family ate a lettuce blend and have been ill with those symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this St. Louis County E. coli outbreak, or the larger multistate outbreak.

If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.