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 … [Read more...]