Boston Ave. Church Daycare E. coli in Tulsa
A second daycare E. coli outbreak in as many days has been announced by public health authorities — this one in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where three of four infected children attend Boston Avenue Church’s childcare center. Both outbreaks have been marked by difficult family struggles as some of the children have been hospitalized with life-threatening HUS E. coli complications, or hemolytic uremic syndrome.
The Tulsa Health Department said it is investigating four cases of E. coli in Tulsa County children and they specified that there are no indications it involves the deadly strain of E. coli O104 that is plaguing Germany and other countries in Europe right now. “Two cases have been laboratory confirmed with two additional children suspected,” a Tulsa Health press release said.
The two confirmed cases are siblings and both have been hospitalized, presumably with HUS. One of the confirmed case patients and the two suspected case patients attend the Boston Avenue Church daycare center and parents of children who attend the center have been notified and warned to look out for symptoms.
Just one day earlier, an Amarillo child E. coli outbreak involving seven children, many of whom are related, was announced by public health officials in Amarillo, Texas, in the panhandle. Tulsa is several hundred miles northeast of Amarillo.
Investigations are under way to find the source of each outbreak and no one at this point is saying they are related. At this point, Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said they can’t even say for sure that Boston Avenue Church Childcare Center is where the children became sick, though they are investigating that angle very closely.
E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen, a nationally recognized food safety law firm, are investigating both outbreaks and accepting cases in a no-fee consultation process at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or via online contact form. In many outbreaks it is important to hire a lawyer to pursue insurance claims to pay for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other harms. This is the case even when well-meaning people are involved.
Symptoms of E. coli can range from mild to severe, and include: diarrhea (often bloody), severe stomach cramps, and vomiting. If there is a fever it is usually not very high (less than 101 F). Most people get better within 5-7 days, but 5 to 15 percent of case patients develop HUS and children under the age of 5 years are most prone to HUS and associated kidney failure, coma, strokes, anemia and other severe health complications.
E. coli can be spread through consumption of undercooked meat, particularly beef, drinking contaminated raw milk, swimming in, or drinking contaminated water, or by consuming foods or mouthing objects that have been contaminated with feces of an infected person or animal. Person-to-person transmission can occur if infected persons do not wash their hands after using the toilet or after changing diapers
Tags: Daycare E coli, E. coli HUS
