A new E. coli O145:H28 outbreak has been posted on the FDA's CORE Investigation outbreak table. This new outbreak has sickened at least 15 people. There is no more information provided, which is typical for a posting on that table. The FDA only gives out more information about these outbreaks when they believe there are actionable steps that consumers can take to protect themselves, such as a recall. E. coli O145 is a serotype of E. coli that is part of the Big Six STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) bacteria group that the government started screening for in 2012. This pathogen produces Shiga toxins, which attack red blood cells that die and travel to the kidneys, where they clog small tubes in that organ and can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney … [Read more...]
History of E. coli O145 Outbreaks in the United States
There are three active multistate food poisoning outbreaks on the USDA outbreak table: One is for an outbreak caused by Listeria monocytogenes, one caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7, and one caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 bacteria. The last one may be linked to ground beef. Let's look at the history of E. coli O145 outbreaks. What is the history of E. coli O145 outbreaks in the United States? This pathogen is part of the Big Six STEC bacteria group that the USDA classified as adulterants back in 2011. The government started testing for the bacteria as part of a zero tolerance policy in 2012, but it has not been linked to many outbreaks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was a multistate outbreak caused by E. coli O145 … [Read more...]
