Three months of investigation into one of this summer's most serious HUS E. coli outbreaks has not pinpointed what food item sent people to the hospital after eating at the BBQ Shack restaurant in Toccoa, Georgia. But other evidence in the outbreak is supporting victims as they continue to make payment claims for their distress. According to a document from the Georgia Department of Health, officials learned of the outbreak after a state epidemiology surveillance officers noticed a cluster of E. coli cases in lab reports from the Stephens County Hospital - four patients in one week back in early May. The Stephens County Health Department had also received complaints about the BBQ Shack in Toccoa after some customers reported being ill after eating at the restaurant. Public health … [Read more...]
BBQ Shack E coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Toccoa, GA: Update and Video
Attorney Fred Pritzker, national food safety attorney, is providing updated information on the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has been associated with eating at the BBQ Shack in Toccoa, Georgia. To date, 18 cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported in Stephens County, Georgia. Of the sickened, at least 7 required hospitalization and 5 of those individuals went on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)- a very serious complication of shiga toxin producing E.coli infections that can cause kidney failure and death, especially in children and the elderly. Health investigators did not find the menu item at the BBQ Shack that was contaminated with E. coli. This does not prevent E. coli victims and their families from filing lawsuits against the BBQ Shack for compensation, according to … [Read more...]
Bar-B-Q Shack E. Coli O157:H7 Outbreak: What Caused It?
The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak at the Bar-B-Q Shack in Toccoa, Georgia that has sickened at least 11 people remains a mystery. Public health officials are investigating the outbreak, but they have not determined what caused the illnesses. Seven of the ill persons have been hospitalized, and five unfortunately have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of a STEC infection that can cause kidney failure. That means this bacteria is especially virulent or that there were high numbers of the pathogenic bacteria in the contaminated food. Fred Pritzker, national food safety attorney, said about this outbreak, "In some restaurant outbreak cases, it’s not possible to identify the precise food product responsible for a person’s illness. For example, if you order a … [Read more...]
Bar-B-Q Shack E. Coli Outbreak: What’s the Multiplier?
The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to the Bar-B-Q Shack in Toccoa, Georgia has sickened at least 11 people. Seven of the ill persons have been hospitalized. And five have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious illness which can cause kidney failure. In most outbreaks, we know that illnesses are greatly underreported, because most people can recover from Salmonella or Vibrio infections without a doctor's help. But Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) infections are different. That pathogenic bacteria causes potentially deadly illness that can last for a long time. A study from the CDC found that duration of illness is the most important statistically significant symptom that increased both the probability of visiting a doctor and having a stool sample taken. Violent, … [Read more...]
Georgia E. coli Outbreak Associated With BBQ Shack: 11 Sick, 5 with HUS
Seven people have been hospitalized in a Georgia E.coli outbreak associated with BBQ Shack in Toccoa that has sickened 11 people. Five of them are being treated for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infections that can be life-threatening. Health officials say 10 of the 11 people sickened ate at the BBQ Shack the weekend of May 2-4, 2013 and that no other commonalities were reported. Ten of the patients are from Georgia and one is from South Carolina. Between May 4 to May 8, 2013, they all developed symptoms of an E.coli infection, which include diarrhea that can be bloody and abdominal cramps. Officials from the North Health District, and the Stephens County Health Department continue to investigate E. coli O157:H7 illnesses which all occurred during early … [Read more...]
