AZ Costco Cheese E. coli Outbreak Now at 15 Cases
The Arizona Costco cheese E. coli outbreak has expanded to 15 confirmed illnesses, along with 10 in Colorado, three in southern California, three in New Mexico and two in Nevada, according to the latest E. coli investigation update by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The probe continues, but lab testing has confirmed a genetic match between E. coli 0157:H7 found in victims and in two opened packages of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese taken from the homes of case patients. The packages were purchased at Costco and the cheese was made from raw milk, the CDC said. In addition, E. coli 0157:H7 has been detected in a previously unopened package of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese sourced from a Costco store. Tests are pending to confirm if it is the outbreak strain.
As evidence mounts, public health investigators and experts hired by law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., may be able to tell exactly where in the chain of processing and distribution the pathogen was introduced. A leading suspect is raw milk, a germ carrier which CDC and FDA consider unsafe for human consumption. E. coli attorneys at Pritzker Olsen have brought raw milk E. coli lawsuits in the past and are in contact with victims of the current outbreak about a Bravo Farms Cheese lawsuit. To speak to an E. coli lawyer at the firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. Pritzker Olsen is a leading national practitioner of foodborne illness litigation that has won millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning.
Meanwhile, Bravo Farms has recalled the affected Gouda raw milk cheese and the CDC has issued an alert to consumers and health professionals about the outbreak. The product in question was sold and sampled at Costco stores from October 5 through November 1. The CDC said Costco is continuing to cooperate and assist in the investigation.
Bravo Farms Lawsuit: E. coli Attorneys Provide Information for Victims in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, California
Our E. coli attorneys are investigating a Bravo Farms lawsuit for E. coli food poisoning that resulted in severe diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal pain and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure, central nervous system damage, heart problems, pancreatitis, hypertension, blindness, stroke, coma and death. Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda cheese, (Costco item 40654) offered for sale and in cheese sampling events at Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) locations is preliminarily linked with an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections.
As of Thursday, November 4, 2010, 25 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from five states since mid-October. The number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is as follows: Arizona (11), California (1), Colorado (8), New Mexico (3) and Nevada (2). There have been 9 reported hospitalizations, 1 possible case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths.
Bravo Farms Lawsuit: Liability and Compensation for E. coli and HUS Victims
If your case of E. coli O157 can be linked by microbiological and epidemiological evidence to Bravo Farms cheese, you most likely have a case against the company and can sue under any of the following theories of liability:
- Negligence
- Breach of contract
- Strict liability
Before we sue a food manufacturer in these cases, we hire microbiologists and epidemiologists, gather and analyze evidence, and make sure we have built a solid case for full and adequate compensation for the E. coli victim and his or her family. Compensation can include amounts for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disability
- Loss of quality of life
- Other damages
The pain and suffering E. coli victims endure is extremely high. Our job is to make sure food manufacturers like Bravo Farms are held accountable for the pain and loss they cause.
For cases involving illness from tasting Bravo Farms cheese served as a sample at a Costco store, Costco is most likely also liable to E. coli victims and their families. For more information, please see Bravo Farms Cheese Lawsuit and Costco Lawsuit.
Maine Ground Beef E. coli 026 Recall Update
Maine public health officials were instrumental in E. coli surveillance that led to last month’s Class I recall of 8,500 pounds of Cargill Meat Solutions ground beef that may be contaminated by E. coli 026.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention identified two adults with a matching strain of shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26. The date of onset of illness for the two patients was July 8 and July 16. These Maine ground beef E. coli patients resided in Androscoggin and Oxford counties, according to Seacoastonline.com. Both patients prepared and consumed ground beef. The same identical strain of E. coli sickened one patient in New York. That patient also had exposure to ground beef.
The recalled Cargill ground beef was produced June 11, but law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is among concerned parties who believe consumers are still at risk for unknowingly pulling E. coli-laced ground beef from their home freezers. In Maine, the recalled Cargill hamburger was sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club stores. Store locations in the state are in Portland, at 513 Warren Ave. and in Auburn, at 110 Mt. Auburn Ave.
The product subject to recall includes:
42-pound cases of “GROUND BEEF FINE 90/10,” containing three (3) approximately 14-pound chubs each. These products have a “use/freeze by” date of July 1, 2010 and an identifying product code of W69032.
If you or a loved one is concerned about a possible E. coli infection from recalled ground beef, you should immediately contact a physician. For answers to questions about compensation for medical expenses, pain, suffering and other harms contact PritzkerOlsen at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page. Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have won millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning, including E. coli in ground beef.
E coli Cases Linked to NW Michigan Fair Grand Traverse County
The Grand Traverse County Health Department reported three cases of shiga toxin-producing E coli. The victims are all children and they range in age from 5 to 15 years-old. The one thing all three kids have in common is that they all attended the Northwestern Michigan Fair, in Grand Traverse County, August 9-13.
The three cases were diagnosed as probable E coli infections between August 15-17 when the children were treated for symptoms of E coli, including bloody diarrhea. One of the children is still hospitalized.
Shiga toxin-producing E coli is a type of enterohemorrhagic E coli bacteria that can cause illness ranging from mild intestinal disease to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and kidney failure. Typically, symptoms of E coli include severe abdominal cramping, watery or bloody diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting, lethargy and a low-grade fever.
E coli is frequently associated with the consumption of raw milk, unpasteurized apple juice or undercooked beef, but it can be spread through fecal contamination and oral transmission.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome is characterized by damage and destruction of the red blood cells, which leads to anemia, blood clots and damage to blood vessel walls. HUS generally occurs around the eighth day after an E coli infection presents as diarrhea.
Children are at the greatest risk of developing HUS. Approximately 15% of children under ten who contract an E coli infection develop HUS.
E coli 0157 causes about 90% of all HUS cases. In several E coli outbreaks, people who received antibiotics had a higher risk of kidney failure or death. If E coli O157 is found in the culture, the CDC recommends avoiding treatment with antibiotics.
E coli poisoning has the potential for serious complications. It is vital to retain experienced representation to ensure that you obtain the needed and deserved compensation.
PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a leading E coli litigation law firm. Fred Pritzker has been interviewed by CNN, CBS News, Fox News, Associated Press and others. Once retained, we will immediately start our own investigation into your case. Call 1-888-377-8900 or submit our online consultation form.
Valley Meat Company Beef Recall Prompted by E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak
Pritzker Olsen law firm is investigating an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in California has prompted a Valley Meat Company beef recall of over one million pounds of beef products. This is what we know so far:
- There are 7 culture-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 in California. These people ate Valley Meat Company beef products before they became sick. Dates of illness were between February and July of 2010.
- Others were sickened and may be part of the outbreak.
- The 7 cases involve a rare strain of E. coli O157:H7 as determined by PFGE subtyping.
- Valley Meat Company is a Modesto, California meat processor. Valley Meat recalled 1,000,000 pounds of beef products, including frozen beef patties and bulk ground beef.
- The Valley Meat Company beef recall involves products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 8268″ inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a production code of 27509 through 01210.
- The beef products were produced between the dates of Oct. 2, 2009 through Jan. 12, 2010 and were distributed to retail outlets and institutional foodservice providers in California, Texas, Oregon, Arizona and internationally.
- A list of the recalled products can be found at Vally Meat Recall.
The recalled Valley Meat frozen beef patties may still be in consumers’ freezers and may have been sold under various brand names. If you have any frozen beef patties in your freezer, you need to check the establishment number (EST. 8268) and the production code. If you have recalled beef, do not eat it. Even trace amounts of E. coli can make you seriously ill. Serious complications of an E. coli O157 infection include the following:
- Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) – Kidney Failure
- Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
- E. coli-Related Death
If you have any questions about a Valley Meat Company lawsuit, E. coli testing or what to do to find out if you or your child is part of this outbreak, please call 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or submit our online form for a free consultation.
Colorado Buffalo E. coli Lawsuit Filed in Golden
A woman from Lakewood, Colorado, who was hospitalized for an infection of E. coli O157:H7 after eating bison meat has filed a lawsuit against Rocky Mountain Meats of Henderson, Colorado, the processor of the
meat.
The E. coli victim is represented by Pritzker Olsen law firm. Local counsel in Denver filed the suit July 8, 2010, in Jefferson County District Court. According to the complaint, the woman purchased the bison product in June at the King Soopers grocery store in Lakewood.
She fell ill with classic E. coli symptoms of diarrhea and stomach pain and was hospitalized for several days at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. Using Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), state health officials concluded that she was part of a Colorado E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to the defendant’s bison meat.
The association with the outbreak prompted the Rocky Mountain Natural Meats recall of more than 66,000 pounds of ground buffalo, steaks and medallions on July 2.
Pritzker Olsen is currently in contact with other victims of this outbreak and is accepting additional cases. The firm is a leading practitioner of foodborne illness litigation and is actively involved in efforts to prevent outbreaks of E. coli and other dangerous pathogens.
If you or a loved one has become infected with E. coli O157:H7 after eating buffalo, contact a physician immediately and request a stool culture. For answers to legal questions, call our firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the online contact form on the side of this Web page. Over the years we have collected millions for victims of food poisoning.
