E. coli O145 Probe Continues Around Colleges
A public health study to determine the cause of an E. coli O145 outbreak in Ohio, Michigan and New York could last a couple of more weeks.
In the areas of the outbreak – Columbus, Ann Arbor and Buffalo – health investigators are presenting a questionnaire to victims of the E. coli O145 outbreak to determine where they ate and what they ate. The same questions will be asked of a control group of individuals who ate at the same places and didn’t get sick.
Though time-consuming, the epidemiological study can show patterns that implicate an individual food source as the probable cause of an outbreak. While most E. coli outbreaks are caused by contaminated ground beef, officials have told law firm Pritzker Olsen that ground beef is not high on the list of suspect foods in the current outbreak.
Since the outbreak began in early April, the number of ill people considered to be victims of the outbreak has grown to 60.
E. coli O145 is similar to the more prevalent E. coli O157:H7 in that it is an enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). It is the Shiga toxins that can cause death or severe illness, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS.) E. coli O145 is part of a group of E. coli serotypes called non-O157 STEC.
It is not too early to contact an E. coli lawyer. For a free consultation call Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or contact us online. Even if the food source is not found, epidemiological evidence combined with the microbiological evidence that links all of the cases of E. coli O145 together can be enough to hold a restaurant, food service company and others liable.
Tags: E coli O145, Freshway Foods Class Action Lawsuit, Freshway Foods Lawsuit, Michigan E coli, New York E coli, Ohio E coli
