Parents are responsible for their children's health. This can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with a little knowledge you can make sure your child gets the best possible care if he gets sick. That's why you need to know the signs of an E. coli infection. Food poisoning is quite common in the United States and around the world. One out of every six people in this country will contract food poisoning this year. So parents need to know the signs of an E. coli infection. Most people think of these infections as the "24 hour flu" and most get better without medical treatment. But thousands get sick enough to be hospitalized, and thousands die from their infections. There are several different kinds of bacteria that cause these illnesses: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, … [Read more...]
Keep Children Safe at Petting Zoos to Avoid HUS E. coli
HUS E. coli is a life-threatening disease that children can contract from exposure to pathogenc E. coli at petting zoos or other animal exhibits commonly visited in summer and fall by families on outings to apple orchards, pumpkin patches, festivals and fairs. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians sets a compendium of safety measures for animal venue operators to follow, but the health of children who touch animals, feed animals or even touch railings or enclosures comes down to handwashing and vigilance supported by the operators. In Minnesota, where state officials have investigated two sizable outbreaks of toxic E. coli infections at petting zoons in the past two years, the state Department of Health has published a Prevention Fact Sheet. It emphasizes two … [Read more...]
E. coli HUS Strikes 3 Children in Hardin County, KY
Three Hardin County, Ky. children are among a group of five who have been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E.coli infections that causes kidney failure, seizure, stroke and coma. The children, who range in age from 18 months to 10 years old, are part of an outbreak that also includes one child from Nelson County and another from Oldham. Hardin and Nelson counties are in the central part of the state. Oldham is northeast of Louisville on the state's border with Indiana. Health authorities have not yet identified a source of the outbreak or determined if the cases may be linked to recent cases in Oregon and Washington. Three Oregon children with E. coli infections were hospitalized with HUS at the beginning of this month. Aubrie … [Read more...]
E. coli Outbreak at Olmsted, Polk and Rice County Fairs (And Many More)
An E. coli outbreak at the Rice County Fair has been linked to outbreaks at other county fairs and festivals during July including the Olmsted County Fair, the Polk County Fair and the Nashwauk 4th of July Festival. The source of the illnesses has been identified as the Zerebko Zoo Tran traveling petting zoo. Petting zoos and animal exhibits at fairs are common source of E.coli outbreaks. In 2012, an E.coli outbreak at the Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina that sickened 106 people. Sixty-four of them were children, one of whom died. In 2011, an E.coli outbreak at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh sickened 25 people, four of whom developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which can cause kidney failure, seizure, stroke and coma. In 2004, a petting zoo at the North Carolina … [Read more...]
E. coli O121: The Bug Behind Jimmy John’s Sprout Outbreak
E. coli O121 is not among the most prevalent types of toxic E. coli by any means, but this pathogenic organism has been traced to two separate multi-state outbreaks of human infections studied closely by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the past 18 months. Most recently, the raw sprout E. coli outbreak in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Michigan linked to sandwich shops including Jimmy John's. The harmful bacteria infected 18 people who were confirmed as victims of the same outbreak of foodborne illness. Nearly half of all case patients were hospitalized, but no one died. According to the Washington State Department of Health and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, ill persons reported eating sprouts in sandwiches at several local food establishments, … [Read more...]
Clover Sprout E. coli Outbreak Ends, 19 in 6 States Sickened
An E. coli outbreak linked to raw clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's, Pita Pit and Daanen’s Deli has ended after sickening 19 people in six states, according to a report form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sixteen people were hospitalized. The E.coli O121 outbreak strain hit Washington state hardest with 11 cases. Illnesses reported from other states were as follows: California (1), Idaho (3), Michigan (1), Montana (2), Utah (1), and Washington (11). The sprout grower, Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC of Moyle Springs, Idaho, did not issue a recall of the tainted product so health authorities issued a consumer warning about the product which remained on store shelves and in distribution to restaurants due to the lack of recall. Restaurants where cases were … [Read more...]
CDC Mum on Restaurants Linked to E.coli Outbreak
An E. coli outbreak linked to ground beef served at restaurants has sickened at least 11 people in four states, but in its first report on the investigation issued today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was mum on the names of any restaurants involved. E. coli infections in five people in Michigan, four in Ohio, 1 in Missouri and 1 in Massachusetts have all been linked to restaurant meals. Six of them were hospitalized, but none developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the life-threatening complication of E. coli infections that causes kidney failure. Earlier today, a recall for almost 2 million pounds of ground beef products was issued by Wolverine Packing Company of Detroit. The recall included a 97-page list of ground beef products distributed to restaurants in … [Read more...]
USDA Testing Ground Beef for Salmonella; What About E. coli?
On Friday, May 16, 2014, the USDA announced that they are enhancing their food safety testing program for ground beef this summer. The government says that they have safeguards in place to reduce E. coli in ground beef, but are now including tests for Salmonella every time their labs test for E. coli in samples of ground beef and ground beef sources. But an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Michigan and Ohio that is associated with undercooked ground beef underscores the fact that consumers must still be vigilant when eating any beef products. It is impossible to test every single portion of hamburger or ground beef sold in this country, so it's important that consumers not eat any undercooked hamburger or rare burgers to protect themselves. Still, this is a significant change in USDA … [Read more...]
10 E. coli Cases in OH and MI, Are Burgers the Source of an Outbreak?
Are rare burgers the source of an E. coli outbreak in Michigan and Ohio? Lab tests have shown that cases in both states are a genetic match and health authorities in Michigan have identified ground beef as the source as all of the Michigan cases reported eating a rare hamburger at different restaurants before becoming ill. It's possible other states are involved. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working with state and county health departments to track the the source of the ground beef which may have been contaminated with E. coli O157 before it arrived at restaurant locations in Michigan. In Ohio, the four case patients range in age from 19 to 42. Three are from Lucas county, one is from Portage county. In Michigan, the case patients, who range in age from 20 to 41, are … [Read more...]
Lawyer Says Restaurant Responsible for E. coli O157 in Burger
At least 5 people in Michigan have been diagnosed with E. coli O157 after eating undercooked ground beef the last week of April. Three of them were hospitalized because they were so seriously ill. The likely source of this outbreak is undercooked burgers and other menu items. One man told WOODTV that he ate a rare burger about 4 days before getting sick. The incubation period for E. coli is usually three to four days, so the time frame is right. "If a restaurant sells rare burgers, that burger should be safe to eat, free of any dangerous pathogens like E. coli O157," said Fred Pritzker, a lawyer who represents people sickened by E. coli food poisoning. He and his team won a $4.5 million settlement for a client who contracted an E. coli infection from steak sold at a national chain … [Read more...]
