Maricopa County Fair is excluding a petting zoo among its attractions this year after a 2025 E. coli outbreak that sickened at least 18 people, including 13 children, was associated with the zoo, according to Arizona Central. Pony rides are also being excluded. Executive director Karen Searle told The Arizona Republic in a statement, “Out … Read more
According to information from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, the Arizona State Fair is the source of 13 E. coli illnesses in children. Those children all had contact with petting zoos or other animal exhibits before they got sick. The state fair was held from September 19 to October 26, 2025. Shiga toxin-producing … Read more
After the Arizona fair E. coli outbreak, that sickened an unknown number of children, a bill has been introduced to the Arizona Senate requiring handwashing stations at petting zoos and animal exhibits. SB 1082 was introduced by Senator Kavanaugh. The state fair was held from September 19 to October 26, 2025. The bill would mandate … Read more
Is a petting zoo the cause of the Arizona State Fair E. coli outbreak? It may be. Food Poisoning Bulletin heard from JP Martin, Media Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. He said, “On Nov 13, ADHS issued a Healthcare Advisory related to a two-fold increase of E. coli O157:H7, sometimes called STEC … Read more
A possible E. coli outbreak at the Arizona State Fair has sickened children, according to news reports. The fair, held in Phoenix, in Maricopa County, was open from September 19 to October 26, 2025. Some parents of the sick kids said they visited the petting zoo. A nonprofit group, Parker’s Promise, reported on illnesses on … Read more
A New Mexico State Fair Cryptosporidium outbreak has sickened at least 18 people, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. The outbreak is “statewide” according to the press release. The Fair took place from September 7 to September 17, 2023. Illnesses are associated with exposure to livestock exhibited at a petting zoo at the … Read more
There are elementary school children sick with E. coli infections in two Tennessee counties after they visited a local fair and had contact with animals in an exhibit there, according to news reports. The Northeast Regional Health Office is investigating this outbreak, which includes children from Sullivan and Washington counties. We do not know how … Read more
In the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for the week of July 21, 2023, the 2022 Lucky Ladd Farms E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is discussed. In that outbreak, 12 children were sickened after visiting the farm in Tennessee, and there were two secondary infections. Three week-long summer camps were held at that farm … Read more
A deadly E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with Lucky Ladd Farms goats in June and July of 2022 allegedly sickened 12 summer camp participants; two patients were secondary cases, according to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). One child sadly died. A report on the outbreak was issued today. The pathogen that caused the illnesses … Read more
E. coli has sickened five children who attended the Georgia National Fair, according to news reports. Three of the five children are hospitalized, according to Michael Hokanson of the Georgia Department of Public Health, who spoke to WMAZ. Hokanson added that the case count may increase as more lab results come in. And according to … Read more