Nestle Cookie Dough E. coli Outbreak
Yet another Nestle cookie dough E. coli outbreak update.
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:
- 5 Suspected Cookie E. coli Cases in Washington, Associated Press, June 19, 2009.
- http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/release/2009/061809.html
- http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2009/ecoli061909.html
Revisiting E. coli Outbreaks of 2006
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a retrospective report on the totality of foodborne illness outbreaks in 2006, the most recent year for which all the figures are available.
National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys has examined the report and teased out relevant E. coli O157:H7 facts. If you need to contact an E. coli lawyer at the firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free), or contact us online by completing a free case consultation form.
Some facts from the report:
- There were 11 multi-state outbreaks of foodborne illness in 2006. Multi-state is defined as genetically matched strains of illness confirmed in more than one state. Ten of these outbreaks were attributed to bacteria. Of those, four were linked to E. coli O157:H7. One of the multi-state E. coli outbreaks sickened 395 people who ate contaminated leafy green vegetables. Another 44 people got sick in a multi-state E. coli outbreak by eating tainted beef. No other bacteria was involved in more than four multi-state outbreaks. The non-bacterial illness outbreak was attributed to floor sealant transmitted by baked goods.
- A total of 1,270 identifiable food poisoning outbreaks were tracked in 2006, sickening 27,634 people and killing 11. Of the deaths, six were linked to E. coli O157:H7.
- Spinach that was contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 sickened 238 people, making it one of biggest outbreaks of the year. In the spinach outbreak, 31 persons developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, and five died, including a child. The contaminated spinach was traced back to a single farm, where the outbreak strain was isolated from nearby cattle feces and feral swine feces.
- Two E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks during 2006 were linked to raw, unpasteurized milk.
Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli
A new study from researchers at the University of Calgary, published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, examines the possible rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli, including the potentially-lethal 0157:H7 strain. Researchers seem to be worried that the resistant strains may be becoming more common in hospital settings in the near future, calling for increased funding to track the spread of these resistant strains.
The study examined numerous surveys from the past seven years from a variety of countries, tracking the growth of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. The authors stated, according to The Press Association, “These bacteria have become widely prevalent in the community setting in certain areas of the world and they are most likely being imported into the hospital setting.”
The researchers studied strains of E. coli that produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), which is an enzyme that makes the bacteria resistant to most commonly used antibiotics in hospitals. The United Kingdom’s Health Protection Agency has already begun working with the National Health Service to begin addressing this potentially dangerous problem so that the risks associated with these resistant E. coli strains will be minimized. The information gathered will be important not only for the care of hospital patients in Europe, but also in the United States.
E. coli Treatment
Most people recover from E. coli infections without any special treatment or medication after 5-10 days. The best treatment is to get plenty of fluids and sleep. Antibiotics have not been found to be of any benefit in the treatment of E. coli. Anti-diarrheal agents such as loperamide (Imodium®) should also be avoided according to the CDC.
There has been a lot of concern that the use of antibiotics to treat E. coli infections can cause an increased risk for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and kidney problems. A 2000 study by Wong et. al. (The risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome after antibiotic treatment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections) reported that there did appear to be an increased risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome if treated with antibiotics. A more recent study that compiled research on hemolytic uremic syndrome and E. coli O157:H7 antibiotic treatment by Safdar et. al. (Risk of hemolytic uremic syndromoe after antibiotic treatment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 enteritis: a meta-analysis) found that there was in fact on apparent statistical increase of HUS infections when antibiotics were used for E. coli O157:H7. You should consult with your doctor regarding E. coli treatment and the use of antiboitics.
For information on the treatment of hemolytic uremic syndrome see Treatment of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.
Pritzker | Ruohonen has a national practice and represents E. coli victims throughout the United States. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the online contact form.
