Attorney Fred Pritzker is parents warning about the dangers of E. coli infections from petting zoos. As the weather warms and summer starts, petting zoos are popular attractions for families with young children. Unfortunately, those venues can be and have been the source of serious and even deadly E. coli outbreaks. The issue is that … Read more
As summer winds down and fall approaches, state and county fairs are underway. The CDC is warning parents and caregivers about ways to protect yourself and your children against E. coli and other illnesses that have been linked to those events. Animals exhibits and petting zoos at county and state fairs have been the source … Read more
Foodborne illness increases during summer months and outbreaks are often linked to fairs and festivals. To help everyone safely enjoy their time at the fair, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has compiled some food safety tips. One of the biggest things to keep in mind, according to the agency, is that food … Read more
Petting zoos and other live animal exhibits can be the source of E.coli poisoning which can cause serious, sometimes life-ending illness for children. In 2013, at least two E.coli outbreaks were associated with petting zoos. Six children contracted E.coli infections, three of them developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E.coli infections in children … Read more
The risk of E.coli poisoning has prompted organizers of the Stearns County Fair in Minnesota to omit the petting zoo this year. Portable handwashing stations will be installed in all the barns to further reduce the risk of illness. “The overriding factor for not doing it this year was the health concerns,” John Roberts, the … Read more
Petting Zoos and other exhibits where contact with animals is permitted can be the source of E.coli poisoning which can cause serious, sometimes life-ending illness for children. Before taking the family out to the fair or the petting zoo, parents should be aware of the risks that these exhibits pose. Recently there have been a … Read more
The firm of Pritzker Hageman is representing victims of the Cleveland Fair E. coli petting zoo outbreak that happened last summer. Most outbreaks involving this organism are caused by adulterated food. However, petting zoo animals have also been a frequent source of E. coli O157 infections, usually resulting in the hospitalization (and, too often, the … Read more
A Washington petting zoo where four children contracted E. coli infections has been closed. The owners of the Willow Grove Gardens Pumpkin Patch voluntarily closed the petting zoo Monday evening after four children, all under the age of ten, got E. coli poisoning after visiting the farm. At least one of them was so ill … Read more
The E. coli outbreak linked to the Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina is the latest example of how children are hit hardest when foodborne illness strikes fairgoers. Of the 106 people included in this outbreak, 64 are children, 12 of whom have been hospitalized and one of whom has died, according to the latest … Read more