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.
E. coli-HUS from Foundation Farm Raw Milk Sickens Children in Portland, Oregon Area
Attorney Fred Pritzker
Just two months after I argued for more regulations on the sale of raw milk at Harvard Law School, an outbreak of E. coli O157 and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) has hit the Portland, Oregon area that has been linked to raw milk from Foundation Farm in Clackamas County. To date, there are 5 children in Oregon with confirmed cases of E. coli O157, and three of them have HUS, a complication of an E. coli O157 infection that causes kidney failure and a host of other problems that can be fatal. I and my team of E. coli lawyers are currently representing people with E. coli-HUS who were sickened in another outbreak. We are also representing a man who is paralyzed from the neck down after drinking raw milk.
Parents can contact me for a free consultation regarding their child’s legal rights in this situation. Certainly, Foundation Farm has insurance to cover at least some of the medical expenses, other financial losses, pain and suffering compensation, and other damages. My message to parents is twofold:
- The E. coli and HUS risk with raw milk is not well known and sellers of raw milk do not warn their customers. You thought you were providing something healthy for your child because that is what you were told. This is not the time to feel guilty. Call me about this if you just want to talk, no obligation. I have handled cases like yours before.
- Even if you signed an agreement not to sue Foundation Farm, your child did not. There is no shame in suing someone who has injured your child, especially in E. coli O157 cases because they are almost always caused by poor sanitation. Your child will have medical expenses well into the future, and you and your child need help now.
Two children have contracted E. coli O157 infections that did not develop into HUS, and 4 other children and one adult are suffering from severe gastroenteritis (symptomatic of E. coli), with extreme abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea (so violent that it is scary for children) and possibly E. coli-colitis, a serious condition that may require surgery and a colostomy bag.
The cases are in Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah and Washington counties. Foundation Farm distributed to 48 households in the Portland metropolitan area that were part of a herd‐share.
Missouri Now Has 13 Cases of E. Coli 0157:H7; Two Have HUS
Attorney Fred Pritzker
There are now 13 confirmed reports of E. coli 0157:H7 infection in the state of Missouri. The patients live in Boone, Camden, Clark, Cooper, Howard, Jackson, and Randolph counties. Seven of the 13 confirmed cases are ill with the same bacteria, as identified by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The PFGE results on three more cases are pending.
Public health officials say that five of the seven victims with identical bacteria consumed raw milk products from the same farm. And one of the PFGE pending cases drank milk from the same farm. The farm has not yet been named.
PFGE identifies bacteria “fingerprints” by examining its DNA. This technique uses a multi-dimensional electrical field to separate molecules of bacteria’s DNA, which then form a unique pattern. It is considered the gold standard when conducting epidemiological studies of pathogens. If bacteria isolated from different unrelated patients have the same PFGE pattern, they most likely came from the same source.
This strain of E. coli is particularly dangerous because it is part of the Shiga toxin producing family of bacteria. E. coli 0157:H7 releases Shiga toxins into the bloodstream. Those toxins can then damage organs such as the brain or kidneys.
Two children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli 0157:H7 infection that can cause kidney failure. One of those cases is a two-year old child who lives in Boone county. The other, who is seventeen months old, also has HUS, but the bacteria that caused that child’s illness has a different PFGE pattern.
In Missouri, it’s legal for a farmer to sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk and cream, as long as it’s sold directly from the originating farm or delivered directly to the customer. But consumers should be aware of the risks of drinking raw milk. Public health officials and food safety experts warn that those in high risk groups should not consume unpasteurized milk. That includes infants, children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems, and those with chronic illnesses. People in those groups are more likely to develop HUS when infected, which can cause kidney failure and death, although healthy people infected with E. coli 0157:H7 can become seriously ill too.
If you or someone in your family is suffering from the symptoms of E. coli 0157:H7 poisoning, which includes bloody diarrhea, vomiting, severe stomach cramps, and a mild fever, see your healthcare professional immediately. If you have consumed raw milk, tell your doctor. And if you or a member of your family are part of this outbreak, our experienced E. coli lawyers can help protect your legal rights. Parents of children with E. coli-HUS can contact me at 1-888-377-8900 or by submitting the firm’s free consultation form.
Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak In Oregon Hospitalizes Three, Two Have HUS
Attorney Fred Pritzker
(Update: There are now 5 confirmed cases of E. coli O157, 3 of them involving E. coli-HUS. For more information, see “E. coli-HUS from Raw Milk Sickens Children in Portland, Oregon Area“)
Raw milk tainted with E.coli 0157:H7 has hospitalized three children and sickened another, according to health officials in Oregon.
All four children drank raw milk produced by Foundation Farm in Clackamas County before becoming ill. Other customers of the dairy who have not had diagnostic testing have reported diarrhea and other symptoms of E. coli O157 infections.
The farm has voluntarily ceased distribution and customers are being notified and told to discard their milk. An investigation, conducted by the Oregon Public Health Division, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and several local health departments, is ongoing.
Two of the children, who are all under the age of 15, have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of an E.coli infection that causes kidney failure.
“Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria that can make you very sick or kill you. Pasteurized milk has many health benefits. Raw milk is not any healthier than pasteurized milk and can carry illness-causing bacteria,” said Katrina Hedberg, M.D., M.P.H., Oregon Public Health Division state epidemiologist.
In Oregon, it is not legal to sell raw milk in retail stores. Foundation Farm distributed to raw milk to 48 households that were part of a herd-share.
Symptoms of E. coli O157 infections include abdominal cramps, and diarrhea which is often bloody. Symptoms usually develop within two to eight days of exposure. Kidney failure and related complications may occur, especially among young children and the elderly.
If you have legal questions about an illness or a hospitalization associated with this outbreak contact the E.coli lawyers at the law firm of PritzkerOlsen P.A., a national leader in food safety law.
Missouri Raw Milk E coli Outbreak: 12 Sick in Boone, Camden, Clark, Cooper, Howard and Jackson Counties
Attorney Fred Pritzker
The Missouri E coli outbreak has now sickened 12 people in Boone, Camden, Clark, Cooper, Howard and Jackson Counties. Raw milk has been identified as a possible cause of some of these cases.
Because it has not been pasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous pathogens such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli, all of which can cause infections that can be serious or life-threatening. Two of the case patients in Missouri are toddlers who are hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a condition that occurs after an E. coli infection that causes kidney failure.
The sale of raw milk is legal in Missouri by permitted producers. Retail raw milk products must be labeled, but the regulations do not require the label to warn consumers that raw milk may be contaminated with dangerous pathogens, including E. coli O157:H7.
Fred Pritzker, a food safety attorney and advocate, has recently called for better consumer protections regarding raw milk sales. Pritzker, who recently debated raw milk advocates at Harvard University Law School, says better regulation of raw milk is needed.
“Every raw milk product, whether purchased on the farm, at a farmer’s market or at a grocery store should have a label that warns consumers of the risk of severe illness and death,” said Pritzker. “Consumers of raw milk are told of the supposed benefits of raw milk, but too many of them are giving these products to their young children without knowing that raw milk can carry dangerous pathogens.”
Symptoms of an E.coli infection include nausea, vomiting fever and bloody stools. Missouri health officials urge anyone who develops these symptoms to see a health care provider.
The law firm of PritzkerOlsen, is a national leader in food safety law. To speak with an E.coli lawyer call toll free at 1 (888) 377-8900. Or, contact them online.
