![[caption id="attachment_96425" align="alignright" width="249"] Food Safety Lawyer and Food Poisoning Bulletin Publisher Eric Hageman[/caption] Noted food safety attorney Eric Hageman, who has represented many clients in E. coli and HUS lawsuits, said, "We certainly hope that officials can solve these outbreak soon so people stop getting sick. Any E. coli illness is a tragedy, and it's especially tragic when children are sick and hospitalized."](https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/Kidney-150x150.jpg)
Hemolytic uremic syndrome can be a complication of a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection that is a type of kidney failure. People who develop this condition often need dialysis and may even need kidney transplants. They can also suffer seizures. This condition can be life-threatening. Other causes of this condition include taking certain medications, having other types of infections, and inheriting a type of HUS that runs in families. In the group which has developed HUS after an E. coli infection, most are under the age of five. Among children younger than 18 who develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, about 80% have had STEC infections. About 5 to 10% of patients who contract STEC infections develop HUS. All patients with HUS should be hospitalized so their condition and … [Read more...]
PCC Market Yogurt by Pure Eire Dairy Linked to Washington E. coli Outbreak
PCC Market Yogurt by Pure Eire Dairy is linked to a multi county E .coli O157:H7 outbreak in Washington state, according to a news release issued by the Washington State Department of Health. Both PCC Market and Pure Eire yogurt have been recalled. Pure Eire Dairy is working with the state Department of Agriculture to identify and recall all affected products. The outbreak now includes 11 confirmed cases that have been genetically linked, including six children who are under the age of 10. Seven people have been hospitalized. Three people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a kind of kidney failure. The state patient case count by county is: Benton (1), King (8), Snohomish (1), and Walla Walla (1). The Department of Heath is continuing to gather case … [Read more...]
Pure Eire Dairy Yogurt Recalled In Association with Washington E. coli Outbreak
According to a notice on its Facebook page, Pure Éire Dairy, located in Washington state, is recalling Pure Eire Dairy yogurt because it may be associated with the Washington E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened at least eleven people in four counties. In an email, the Washington State Department of Health has identified the outbreak as "likely linked" to PCC Community Market brand yogurt that is produced by Pure Eire Dairy. According to that Facebook post, 12 hours ago the Washington State Department of Agriculture pulled 12 random yogurt samples from store shelves and all have come back negative for E. coli bacteria. Often in outbreaks, food that has made people sick may have been used or discarded by the time that officials start investigations and testing. The recalled … [Read more...]
Pure Eire Yogurt and PCC Markets Products Recalled For Possible E. coli
Pure Eire Dairy, which is located in Washington state, is recalling Pure Eire yogurt, PCC Markets yogurt, and PCC Market products made with that yogurt for possible E. coli contamination. Pure Eire yogurt may be associated with a Washington state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened at least six people in four counties. According to the notice on the PCC Markets recall page, the recalled products include PCC Organic Grass-Fed Yogurt. All 8 ounce and 6 ounce flavors are recalled, including all best by dates. In addition, some PCC deli items that were made with the yogurt are recalled, including Yogurt that is available in the salad bar, Butter Chicken from the hot bar and to-go casseroles section, Spicy Yellow Curry Chicken sold in the hot bar and to-go casseroles … [Read more...]
Washington E. coli Outbreak Spreads to Four Counties, at Least Six Sick
The Washington E. coli outbreak has now spread to four counties with at least six confirmed cases, according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). This E. coli O157:H7 outbreak may be linked to fresh produce. The official case count stands at six, even though the individual county health departments are reporting higher totals. King County says it has seven cases, while Snohomish County claims two. Benton and Walla Walla Counties claim four patients, for a total of 13 patients. The difference is that the Washington DOH only reports confirmed cases infected with E. coli O157:H7 that have been genetically linked, while the cases the counties are reporting may still be under investigation. In the official state case count, there is one case between the ages of 0 and 9, … [Read more...]
FDA Starts Sampling Salinas Valley Lettuce For E. coli Contamination
The FDA has started sampling Salinas Valley lettuce for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella species as part of online surveillance efforts following recurrent outbreaks linked to the products grown in this region. E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks linked to these products, more specifically romaine lettuce, have occurred in 2020, 2019, and 2018. Romaine lettuce is uniquely susceptible to contamination because of the way it grows. The lettuce grows in a cup shape very close to the ground. That shape can collect and hold irrigation water, which can be contaminated with pathogens, especially if the farm field is located near factory cattle farms. There is a recurring strain of E. coli O157:H7 in the region that has been identified in leafy greens year after year. In this new … [Read more...]
Investigation of Leafy Greens E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Fall 2020
The FDA has released an investigation report into factors that may have contributed to the leafy greens E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in fall 2020 that sickened at least 40 people in 19 states across the country. The outbreak was linked via whole genome sequencing and geography to outbreaks in 2019 and 2018 that were associated to the California growing region.; the proximity of cattle is a likely contributing factor. The outbreak caused 20 hospitalizations. Four people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of an E. coli infection that is a type of kidney failure. The illness onset dates ranged from August 10 through October 31, 2020. Leafy greens were declared the likely source of this outbreak after interviews with patients. The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak strain … [Read more...]
Ultrasonic Cleaning Could Reduce Leafy Greens Outbreaks
A new study conducted at the University of Southamptom has found that ultrasonic cleaning could reduce leafy greens outbreaks in the future. The cleaning is done by spraying food with streams of water that carry sound and microscopic air bubbles. This can clean greens more effectively than current washing methods. The study was conducted in a collaboration between the University of Southampton, North Carolina State University, with lead scientist Professor Timothy Leighton. The work was sponsored by Vitacress. There have been several deadly E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks in the past few years that were linked to leafy greens, particularly romaine lettuce harvested in Arizona and California. While most of the investigations conducted by the CDC, FDA, and local officials have not been … [Read more...]
Another Mystery E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Ends With 22 Sick
Another mystery E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has ended with no source, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)> The FDA and USDA collected different types of dates but were unable to identify a food source of this multistate outbreak. The outbreak is over as of March 11, 2021. Last summer and fall, the CDC announced two other mystery E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks that sickened a total of 44 people, hospitalizing 18. The pathogen in one of those outbreaks was linked to bacteria that sickened people in a 2019 romaine lettuce outbreak. A total of 22 people in 7 states were sickened in this latest outbreak. The case count by state is: Arkansas (9), Maryland (1), New York (1), Oklahoma (6), Texas (1), Virginia (2), and Washington (2). Illness onset dates ranged … [Read more...]
Five Outbreak Investigations on USDA Table; Two Are Active
There are five outbreak investigations on the USDA outbreak response table for 2021 only two are active. That table, like the FDA's CORE Investigation table, does not give much information to the public about the outbreaks. The USDA says that "The table does not include outbreak investigations that did not result in one more of the outcomes." Those outcomes include a recall of an FSIS-regulated product linked to the illnesses, a public health alert, and/or an after-action review report. The inactive outbreaks include an E. coli O145 outbreak that officials suspect is linked to ground beef; an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak of unknown origin that does have a link to a CDC Investigation Notice; and a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak of unknown origin. The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak CDC … [Read more...]
