Bengston’s Pumpkin Farm E. coli outbreak has been updated, according to a note from the Will County Health Department (WCHD) in Illinois. This outbreak was first announced in late October, with five confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections. The farm is located in Homer Glen, Illinois.
Whole genome sequencing has found that there is a close genetic link between patient isolates and bacteria collected from a baby goat at the farm’s petting zoo. That suggests that people who got sick were exposed to the same source. Ruminant animals such as goats and cows often carry E. coli bacteria in their guts, but they do not get sick since they don’t have the cellular receptors that the pathogen uses to attach to cells in the body.
Samples from several animals in the petting zoo tested positive for STEC, but the bacteria from the baby goat was the one that was closely related to the outbreak strain.
Sean Conners, Director of Environmental Health at the Will County Health Department said in a statement, “These test results provide an important link in our investigation. While E. coli bacteria are commonly found in animals, our testing identified a close genetic match between bacteria from confirmed human cases and a baby goat at the petting zoo. We also thoroughly reviewed food service operations at the farm and did not identify any concerns.”
The health department got 270 responses to its confidential health survey from people who visited the farm and reported getting sick. An additional two cases were identified, bringing the total to seven lab confirmed cases of STEC. Of those respondents, 159 were classified as probable cases. That means that have a connection to the source, have experienced symptoms, but did not have lab testing.
The farm was visited and inspected by public health officials. They did have signs at the entrance and exit of the petting zoo that stressed the importance of hand washing, not eating food around the animals, and leaving strollers and wagons outside. Handwashing stations were also present at the exit.
But since it only takes 10 E. coli bacteria to make you sick, and the bacteria can go airborne, it can be very difficult to avoid getting sick when around animals that are shedding STEC bacteria.
If you visited Bengston’s Pumpkin Farm in October and have been ill with the symptoms of a STEC infection or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a complication of this illness that is a type of kidney failure, see your doctor. You may be part of this outbreak.
