Bryan Area E. Coli Outbreak Grows in Texas
The toxic E. coli outbreak in the area around Bryan, Texas, has officially grown to include 10 known cases of diarrhea illness possibly caused by E. coli O157:H7, a bacterium that attacks a person’s kidneys and is particularly dangerous in children five years old and younger. The cause of this outbreak is still under investigation by the Brazos County Health Department (BCHD), in conjunction with the Texas Department of State Health. Five cases have been confirmed as E. coli 0157:H7, including a pair of young brothers hospitalized with dire infections. The boys, so far, are thriving.
The five probable cases were investigated due to the criteria of symptoms, including vomiting and prolonged watery diarrhea which contains blood mucous. Health officials said they believe the time frame for this E. coli outbreak is April 15 through April 22, 2013. At this time, the investigation is on-going with no updates on a possible source. BCHD recommends that any person who has signs or symptoms of toxic E. coli infection seek medical care.
If you or a loved one has been sickened in this outbreak and desire legal counsel, an HUS E. coli lawyer from the Bad Bug Law Team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys will provide a no-obligation consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and an attorney will promptly respond. Each year in the United States, E. coli infections cause approximately 265,000 illnesses and about 100 deaths. Approximately 40 percent of these infections are caused by the strain E. coli O157:H7, the pathogen present in this outbreak.
Farm Rich E. coli Outbreak Expands, 35 Sick From Frozen Food
The E. coli outbreak linked to Farm Fresh frozen foods has now sickened 35 people in 19 states, according to the latest update form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nine people have been hospitalized, two of them them with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). About 80 percent of the victims of this outbreak are under the age of 21.
HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children. Treatment for HUS kidney failure includes dialysis, blood transfusions and organ transplant.
The law firm of Pritzker Olsen is one of the very few in the country to practice extensively in the area of food safety. Recently, Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team won a $4.5 million settlement for a food poisoning client. “When we seek medical expenses in a lawsuit against a grower, food manufacturer, restaurant or other party, we ask for enough money to cover current medical expenses and estimated future medical expenses. We back this amount up with evidence, including medical records, expert medical testimony and scientific research regarding the long-term kidney complications from HUS,” Pritzker said.
Health investigators have identified the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli O121 in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of outbreak victims in Texas and New York. Rich Products Corporation is recalling all Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between July 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121. The recalled products have “Best By” dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014. Consumers who have these products in their freezers should not eat them.
To contact Fred Pritzker for a free consultation click here. Or, call him toll free at 1 (888) 377-8900.
Texas E. coli Outbreak Sickens Five in Brazos County
A Texas E. coli outbreak has sickened at least five people in Brazos County including two small children who have been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and have been receiving blood transfusions and dialysis. The children, brothers who are both under the age of five, are in fair condition at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.
Genetic “fingerprint” testing has confirmed that all five case patients have been sickened by the same strain of E.coli O157:H7. The three other patients are adults who became ill but did not require hospitalization. Tests on three additional cases are pending. The illnesses were first reported last week.
A specific food source of the outbreak has not been identified, but leafy greens are among the possibilites. Dr Eric Wilke of the Brazos County Health Department said in a press conference this morning that at this point the source of contamination seems to be in the supply chain. When asked what consumers can do to reduce their risk of illness, Wilke said to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables and to make sure that food is cooked to a proper temperature.
E. coli attorney Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team , who recently won a $4.5 million settlement for a food poisoning client, can answer your legal questions about illness and hospitalization from food poisoning. For a free consultation, contact them online or call toll free 1 (888) 377-8900.
Farm Rich E. coli Impact Heavy in Michigan and Ohio
Farm Rich E. coli litigation resulting from the current outbreak of food poisoning from frozen food is certain to involve Ohio and Michigan, where at least six people have been confirmed as being infected by the outbreak strain of E. coli O121, a bacterium that is outlawed by the federal government in beef products. Investigation is continuing, but food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is in contact with victims and is continuing to provide free consultations and accept new cases. Fifteen states are involved, but the outbreak is concentrated east of the Mississippi River, with the exception of Texas. More cases could be confirmed soon as doctors and their patients await lab confirmation. Ohio and Michigan account for almost one-quarter of the illness in this outbreak, which has hit hard in the population of young people who are consumers of the Farm Rich frozen mini quesadillas, mini pizza slices, mini hamburgers, mozzarella bites, Philly steaks and pizzatas.
This outbreak has the capability to claim lives and health officials worry that the sweeping Farm Rich frozen food recall by maker Rich Products Corporation won’t be enough to keep some consumers from unknowingly reaching for a package of contaminated product from their freezer without being aware of the danger. People started to fall ill in late December and new infections have continued well into the new year. If you or a loved one is suffering from severe or bloody diarrhea after consuming any frozen food products made at the Waycross, Georgia, plant of Rich Products Corporation, please seek immediate medical attention and ask your doctor about stool testing — which is the only way to confirm you have been poisoned by E. coli O121.
Lawsuit claims will center on several scientific findings linking Farm Rich frozen food to E. coli food poisoning. In Texas, public health officials found the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home. And in New York, a state laboratory identified the outbreak strain from an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen chicken quesadillas from another ill person’s home. Pritzker Olsen represents food poisoning victims in practically every major U.S. outbreak and is one of the very few legal groups in the country to practice extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. Recent results include a $4.5 million settlement on behalf of a client who suffered from HUS E. coli, including kidney failure and worse.
E. coli Recall Goes Beyond Mini Quesadillas, Pizza Slices in Food Poisoning Outbreak Linked to Farm Rich
The E. coli food poisoning recall in the outbreak associated with Farm Rich mini quesadillas, pizza slices, Philly cheese steaks and mozzarella bites has been greatly expanded to include all products made by Rich Foods Corporation at its manufacturing plant in Waycross, Georgia. The FDA is notifying the public of the expanded Farm Rich frozen food recall as part of the effort to protect more people from getting sick. The initial report from government food disease trackers in Atlanta was that 24 people in 15 different states have been infected by the same, exact strain of toxic E. coli O121, which has caused HUS Syndrome in at least one of those patients. The New York state Department of Health discovered the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home.
The latest Farm Rich recall information covers some 3 million pounds of frozen snack food, including a few items under the Schwan’s brand. Pizza dippers, mini bacon cheese burgers and mini meatball sandwiches are among the additional items that have been recalled. The notice covers all Waycross production items with “Best By” dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014. Rich Products is unaware of any illnesses associated with the additional products, but no one has been able to isolate the ingredient that is causing bloody diarrhea and intense stomach pain in outbreak victims.
The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak is among those referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC. Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 9, 2013, but more cases could be reported. If you or a loved one has been sickened after eating frozen Farm Rich snack food, see a physician for treatment that includes E. coli testing. For legal help in pursuing a Farm Rich lawsuit, contact the food poisoning law team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Our firm is one of the few in the nation that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness and our attorneys have collected tens of millions in damages for victims. Leave your contact information or call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) for a free case review.
Farm Rich E coli and HUS Risk Grows as New York Teen is Hospitalized
The nationwide outbreak of E. coli O121 illnesses, which already had one victim with HUS kidney failure, has another confirmed case, this one an 18-year-old. Most serious cases of E. coli are very young children, elderly people and people with compromised immune systems. But this outbreak strain seems to be hitting older teens and young adults hard.
The outbreak has been linked by genetic testing and patient interviews to Farm Rich frozen snacks distributed to Walmart stores nationwide:
According to news reports, the latest case involves Rob Ormsby, an 18-year-old from Tonawanda, New York: “A spokesman for Ormsby’s family told News 4 that he is in ‘very serious condition’ at the VA Hospital.”
E. coli O121 bacteria are extremely dangerous. In most outbreaks, at least one victim develops hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), severe hemorrhagic colitis (requiring a colectomy to remove damaged colon tissue), or a combination of the three.
Attorney Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team have been contacted by families seeking legal help for their children. You can contact Fred at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit our FREE consultation form found HERE. Your family does not have to go through this alone. Fred has helped many families like yours, and he represents E. coli victims throughout the United States.
Farm Rich E. coli Outbreak Detected By System Threatened By Sequester Says Rep De Lauro
The Farm Rich E.coli outbreak, which has so far sickened 24 people in 15 states, was detected because of a strong public health system that is threatened by sequestration, according to Rep. Rosa De Lauro (D-Conn). De Lauro, who is a senior member, and former Chair, of the subcommittee responsible for funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), issued a statement urging consumers to check their freezers for recalled items which include frozen quesadillas, mini pizzas, mozzarella bites and cheesesteak sandwiches.
On March 28, Rich Products Corp of Buffalo, NY issued a recall for the products , sold under the Farm Rich brand name after laboratory tests linked the products to the outbreak. E.coli 0121 is an uncommon strain of E. coli. And, in this case, a formidable one. One third of those sickened have been hospitalized one of whom has been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) a life-threatening condition that develops after some E.coli infections.
“I urge consumers to check their freezer to make sure they do not have these products in their home,” said DeLauro. ”And this situation highlights the need to maintain our investments in our nation’s public health infrastructure. This outbreak was identified because of the strong leadership of state and federal public health officials and a robust PulseNet. Without adequate resources we are asking those same officials to protect us with one hand tied behind their back. We should not let the deeply harmful, across the board cuts known as sequestration result in less funding for their work.”
PulseNet is a network of federal, state and local public health labs that monitor foodborne infections by identifying and then sharing strains that have cause illness. Public health officials use DNA “fingerprints” of the strains to determine if cases were caused by the same source. Their lab tests have confirmed that the E.coli illnesses in this outbreak were caused by frozen Farm Rich foods. If you got E.coli poisoning after eating Farm Rich Foods and would like to talk with an E.coli lawyer, contact the law firm of PritzkerOlsen. The toll free number is 1-888-377-8900.
