As we field questions from people throughout the United States regarding this outbreak and a Nestle lawsuit, additional information about the Nestle cookie dough E. coli outbreak is becoming available.

CONTACT OUR ATTORNEYS.  WE ARE REPRESENTING E. COLI VICTIMS NATIONWIDE.

Washington State health officials are now reporting that 5 of the 66 people confirmed sickened in the Nestle cookie dough E. coli outbreak were from Washington.  Two of the five required hospitalization.  The people sickened were from the following counties:

1)  May 6, Grays Harbor County woman
2)  May 12, Thurston County teenage girl, hospitalized
3)  May 15, Pierce County girl
4)  May 20, King County boy
5) May 21, King County girl, hospitalized.

Colorado has reported that 5 of the 66 people sickened in the Nestle cookie dough E. coli outbreak were from Colorado. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:

Five cases have been reported in Colorado in the following counties: Denver, Douglas (2), Jefferson and Weld. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and one has developed a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Of the four people interviewed so far by the state health department, all had consumed the raw cookie dough during the week before they became ill.

The Minnesota Department of Health reports 6 people in Minnesota sickened in the outbreak:

State health officials are investigating six cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in Minnesota residents associated with eating a popular brand of raw, commercially packaged cookie dough.

Routine monitoring by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) found that the cases of illness were all caused by E. coli O157:H7 with the same DNA fingerprint. The individuals became ill between May 3 and June 11. All six reported eating raw cookie dough of the Nestle’s Toll House brand.

The cases range in age from 2 to 18 years of age; five (83 percent) are female. One was hospitalized. All have recovered.

Minnesota’s cases are linked by the same DNA fingerprint to cases of E. coli infection in at least 66 people in 28 states. In addition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vast majority of the people interviewed reported eating raw cookie dough of the same brand.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning consumers not to eat or use Nestle cookie dough products because of the risk that they are contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The announcement today coincided with a Nestle recall of its Toll House brand of refrigerated cookie dough – all varieties. A number of people sickened with the outbreak strain of E. coli reported eating raw Nestle cookie dough before they became ill.

Since March 2009, 66 cases have been confirmed in 28 states. The FDA and CDC said 25 victims were hospitalized, including seven who suffered severe complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure.  As of this morning, no deaths had been reported.

The warning from federal health authorities included the advice for people not to use the dough for cooking. That’s because handling the uncooked product could possibly lead to an E. coli infection. The recall is effective immediately and it includes ALL varieties of Nestle Toll House refrigerated Cookie Bar Dough, Cookie Dough Tub; Cookie Dough Tube; Limited Edition Cookie Dough items; Seasonal Cookie Dough and Ultimates Cookie Bar Dough. Nestle has published a complete list of every package subject to the recall.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is accepting cases from all states, including Minnesota, Colorado, Washington, Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota South Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, California, New York, Florida, Indiana, Idaho, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Virginia and West Virginia.

The firm has started its own investigation and is compiling Toll House lawsuit information. Pritzker Olsen has already been in touch with potential victims of the outbreak and currently represents E. coli O157:H7 clients from past outbreaks. The firm is one of the few in the nation that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. It has collected millions for victims of food poisoning and has been a long-time advocate for reform in the American food safety system.

If you believe you or a loved one has contracted E. coli O157:H7 from eating Nestle cookie dough, E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen are ready to assist you. There is no charge for consulting with our firm. If we agree to represent you, we are paid a percentage of the money we collect for you. If there is no recovery, you owe us nothing.

Please contact us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or write to our attorneys online for a free consultation.

Pritzker Olsen has a reputation for taking extreme care with food poisoning victims and it has considerable expertise and resources to handle cases where individuals have received complicated and expensive medical treatment for severe illnesses.

References:

1. 5 Suspected Cookie E. coli Cases in Washington, Associated Press, June 19, 2009.
2. http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/release/2009/061809.html
3. http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2009/ecoli061909.html

But late today, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warned consumers not to eat Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough because of possible E. coli contamination. Colorado officials said 66 cases of E. coli O157:H7 in 28 states have been matched through molecular subtyping. The cases have been associated with Toll House Cookie Dough through epidemiological study, not direct evidence.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorney is accepting clients in this outbreak from all states, including Colorado and Minnesota.  The Minnesota Department of  Health is believed to be part of the multi-state investigation and more information will be forthcoming. In Colorado, there have been five confirmed illnesses, including two people hospitalized and one with severe complications.

E. coli 0157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can lead to severe complications, including Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which often involves renal failure. Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection include diarrhea (often bloody), severe stomach cramps and nausea.

Pritzker Olsen is a premier food safety law firm involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness. The firm has collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of food safety. Currently the firm’s clients include the families of  three women who died from Salmonella infection from contaminated peanut butter products.

If you believe you or a loved one has contracted E. coli O157:H7 from eating Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough, E. coli lawyers at the firm are ready to assist you. There is no charge for consulting with our firm. If we agree to represent you, we are paid a percentage of money we collect for you. If there is no recovery, you owe us nothing. Please contact us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or complete one of our online forms for a free consultation.

• Severe cramps
• Watery and/or bloody Diarrhea
• Possible mild fever
• Possible nausea or vomiting

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 may appear between 3 to 10 days after first becoming infected with the bacteria. The first sign is severe, sudden abdominal cramps. Watery diarrhea starts a few hours after the abdominal pains begin. This causes your body to lose a lot of fluid and can cause which can leave you feeling nauseated and weak. Try to drink a lot of fluids to replace any lost with the diarrhea.

After about one day, the watery diarrhea will turn into bright red, bloody stools because E. coli O157:H7 produces a Shiga-like toxin known as verotoxin that destroys red blood cells and platelets. The bloody diarrhea can last between two to five days, with ten or more bowel movements each day. Your stools may appear to be more blood than stool.

You may have a mild fever, but usually E. coli O157:H7 infections do not produce fevers. Other possible symptoms can include nausea or vomiting. You should call your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea. In some cases, E. coli infections accompanied by bloody diarrhea develop into hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a leading cause of kidney failure that can also damage other organs.