E.coli Outbreak Sickens 15, Missouri Farm Ends Raw Milk Sales
Attorney Fred Pritzker 
The farm that produced the raw milk that may be the source of an E.coli outbreak in Missouri that has sickened at least 15 people, has permanently ended raw milk sales, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Raw milk sales are banned in Missouri with two exceptions, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA). Producers with permits can sell raw milk at farmers’ markets and producers can sell form on-farm locations to customers for individual use.
Missouri has only one permitted facility, located in Galena, according MDA. The Howard County farm, associated with this outbreak, sold to individuals on-site.
Of the 15 people with confirmed cases of E. coli 0157:H7 infections , seven drank milk from the Howard County farm before becoming ill. So far, the only commonality officials have identified with these cases is raw milk form the farm.
It takes only a small amount of E. coli to make someone very sick. E.coli tends to clump together rather than distribute itself evenly throughout a container of milk which is one reason why milk from the same tank, gallon or bottle can make some people sick but not others, health officials say.
Four case patients are from Boone County, the others are from Camden, Clark, Cooper, Howard and Jackson counties. Missouri public health officials continue to advise consumers not to drink only pasteurized raw milk because of the dangerous pathogens raw milk can contain. They recommend that anyone with symptoms of an E.coli infection such as abdominal cramping or bloody diarrhea should seek medical attention.
If you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak and would like a free consultation with an E. coli lawyer, contact the law firm of PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a national leader in food safety.
Oregon Raw Milk E.coli Outbreak Sickens 19, Most Are Children, 4 Are Hospitalized With HUS Kidney Failure
Attorney Fred Pritzker
The Foundation Farm raw milk E. coli outbreak has sickened 19 people, most are children, four of whom have been hospitalized with kidney failure from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of E. coli infection that affects small children, according to the Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority.
Of the 19 people who are ill, 11 have culture-confirmed E. coli O157 infections. Fifteen of the patients are children and teens who range in age from 18 months to 19 years old. All of the patients drank raw milk from Foundation Farm and it is the only food item that all 19 consumed prior to becoming ill, health officials are reporting.
Laboratory tests have confirmed that E. coli O157 isolates from at least eight of the patients match those taken from samples of animal manure; two cattle rectal swabs; one swab of the milking station; and one sample of the raw milk itself, according to Oregon health officials. This establishes a clear link between the raw milk produced at the farm and the E.coli infections.
The raw milk associated with this outbreak was distributed to 48 households through a cow-share program. So far, state and local health officials have collected information from 30 of the households.
Yesterday, in a guest editorial that ran in The Oregonian, Mel Kohn, director of the Oregon Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority, warned consumers that raw milk is not the health food some people say it is and urged consumers to avoid drinking it.
While there is great value in eating locally sourced foods and strengthening the connections between consumers and farmers, those strategies are not enough to prevent contamination of milk with dangerous bacteria. Nor is it a matter of preventing lax procedures used by farmers; it would be impossible for even the most conscientious farmer to prevent contamination, and that is why pasteurization is required for commercially distributed milk.
If you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak and would like a free consultation with an attorney who specializes in food poisoning cases, contact the law firm of PritzkerOlsen, a national leader in food safety law. The toll free number is 1(888) 377-8900.
Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak: 14 Sick In Missouri
Attorney Fred Pritzker
An E.coli O157:H7 outbreak in Missouri now has 14 confirmed cases, according to the latest update from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Seven of those who are ill reported drinking raw milk from the same farm in Howard County which has stopped selling raw dairy products. The Missouri Public Health Laboratory has analyzed eight food samples from the farm and all of them tested negative for E.coli.
State health officials are reminding consumers that drinking raw milk is an unnecessary health risk due to the harmful germs such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, it can contain. “The role of pasteurization is to eliminate disease‐causing germs that may have contaminated the milk and provide protection for consumers,” the reminder states.
The last time Missouri had an E.coli 0157:H7 outbreak linked to raw dairy was 2008 when raw goat’s mik sickened four people and hospitalized two, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The primary symptoms of an E.coli infection are abdominal cramps and diarrhea which is often bloody. In small children, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can develop. HUS causes kidney failure and treatment usually includes dialysis.
If you have legal questions about an illness or a hospitalization associated with this outbreak and would like a free consultation with a food poisoning attorney, contact the law firm of PritzkerOlsen, a national leader in food safety. The toll free number is 1 (888) 377-8900.
Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak Sickens 5 Children in Oregon, 3 Have HUS
Attorney Fred Pritzker
E.coli 0157:H7 was found in samples taken from cows, manure and raw milk from Foundation Farm in Clackamas County, Oregon, health officials announced today. The positive test samples confirm that the farm is the source of an outbreak that has sickened at least five children under the age of 14, four of whom have been hospitalized, three are battling hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E.coli infection that causes kidney failure.
The children’s families were all members of a herd-share program in which members buy shares of a herd and then receive milk in exchange. Although retail sales of raw milk are not legal in Oregon, herd-shares are permitted.
The samples that establish the link between the outbreak and the farm came from leftover milk recovered from one family, rectal swabs from two of four cows, and multiple manure and other environmental samples collected at the farm, according to health officials.
“We continue to warn people to not drink the raw milk or any products made from the raw milk that came from this farm or any other source. Pasteurized milk is the only safe milk because it kills harmful bacteria such as E.coli O157,” said Oregon Public Health State Epidemiologist Katrina Hedberg, M.D.
So far, five children, ages 1 to 14, have laboratory-confirmed cases of E.coli infection and another 13 have reported experiencing diarrhea, one of the main symptoms of an E.coli infection. All of them drank raw milk from Foundation Farm. Symptoms of an E.coli infection, which also include abdominal cramping, usually develop two to eight days after exposure.
Food poisoning attorney Fred Pritzker is founder and president of the law firm PritzkerOlsen P.A., a national leader in food safety law. If your child has an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak and you have legal questions, contact the attorneys at PritzkerOlsen for a free consultation.
Child with E. coli HUS Kidney Failure Gets Award
Attorney Fred Pritzker
An E.coli 0157:H7 infection nearly claimed the life of Ashlyn Tangen, a 6-year-old girl from Sioux Valley, S.D., who on April 13 received a Young Hero Award from the National Guard for her brave battle, according to a story in the Brookings Register.
Ashlyn developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious, sometimes fatal complication of E.coli infections that causes kidney failure and usually develops in young children.
Ongoing raw milk E.coli outbreaks in Oregon and Missouri have sickened a number of people including at least four small children who have been hospitalized with HUS.
Ashlyn missed two months of Kindergarten as she fought the E.coli HUS infection that shut down her kidneys. She spent 30 days in the intensive care unit and required a feeding tube for two and a half weeks as she underwent daily dialysis treatments that lasted three-hours.
“We were very lucky, because right before we were going to be forced to make a decision about long-term dialysis and performing another surgery, her kidneys started working and producing urine,” her mother, Julie, told the paper.
On September 7, Ashlyn’s parents took her to the clinic because she had severe diarrhea. The next morning she was in the emergency room. By September 11, HUS had shut down her kidney function. She had gained six pounds of fluid by the time doctors performed emergency surgery.
A number of community fundraisers have been held for Ashlyn, who was released from the hospital October 7 and continues to have kidney check-ups.
The S.D. National Guard Enlisted Association created the Young Hero Awards in the early 1990s. Since that time, hundreds of children ages 3-18 have been recognized for displaying courage and bravery in the face of life-threatening disease, illness or injury.
“We consider ourselves very lucky and know God was watching over Ashlyn, as she was a very sick little girl,” Ashlyn’s mother told the paper. “We know that if the dialysis wouldn’t have been successful, and had continued, after four months we would have been looking at a kidney transplant. Very hard to imagine all that from E Coli!”
The law firm of PritzkerOlsen is a national leader in food safety law. If you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, contact them for a free consultation. They can be reached toll free at 1 (888) 377-8900.
HUS E. coli in Children
Attorney Fred Pritzker
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a disease that kills red blood cells. It sometimes occurs as a complication in food poisoning cases caused by E. coli bacteria. And it disproportionately affects children. Nearly 1 in 10 children who contract E. coli food poisoning will develop HUS.
The recent outbreaks of E. coli food poisoning in Missouri and Oregon linked to raw milk consumption have sickened at least 18 people; six of them are children. And five of those children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.
The type of E. coli, called E. coli 0157:H7, that can lead to HUS produces a toxin called Shiga toxin. This toxin is released into the blood stream where it starts destroying red blood cells that carry oxygen to the organs and tissues in the body. White blood cells transport the toxin to the kidneys, where the damaged red blood cells and the toxin block blood vessels and structures.
In fact, HUS is one of the leading causes of acute kidney failure. The toxin can also injure the brain, pancreas, and other organs and can lead to a stroke or coma.
HUS usually develops between the 8th and 12th days of the bacterial infection, but some people develop it earlier and some later. Hemolytic uremic syndrome is much more common among children, especially those who are under the age of 5. Young children’s immune systems are still developing, making them more susceptible to infection and complications.
Contact Fred for a free consultation.Symptoms of HUS include paleness, fatigue, irritability, confusion, no or very high urine output, swelling of the eyes, face, extremities, or body, fever, rash, unexplained bruises, bloody diarrhea or blood in the urine. Patients usually spend two weeks in the hospital, receiving supportive care with fluid replacement for dehydration, red blood cell and platelet transfusions, and kidney dialysis. Antibiotics are usually not effective against E. coli 0157:H7 and may actually increase the risk of developing HUS.
While many children with HUS recover, often their kidneys lose some ability to function. A kidney that loses 40% of its functioning ability still must perform all of the tasks of a normal kidney, including blood filtering, regulating vitamin and hormone levels, and controlling blood pressure. And more than half of all children who develop HUS suffer kidney failure.
Routine kidney care must become part of regular health care routines after an HUS diagnosis. Your child’s pediatrician may recommend that she see a nephrologist, or kidney specialist. Some children lose kidney function completely and must go on dialysis or consider a kidney transplant.
Anyone injured with food poisoning has a right to full and fair compensation. Parents of children with E. coli-HUS can contact me at 1-888-377-8900 or by submitting the firm’s free consultation form.
