The USDA announced this week an ongoing plan to collect data on the prevalence of non-O157:H7 E. coli contamination. The USDA routinely checks for O157:H7 contamination, and focuses the majority of its efforts to combat the bacteria, due to its harmful and often fatal characteristics. One of the strains of E. coli to be tested for is the O111 strain, the same strain that led to the death of Kayla Boner.
Kayla, a 14 year old Iowan, first developed diarrhea, followed the shutting down of her kidneys, which ultimately led to her death. E. coli O111 infection was the cause of death, but it has not been determined how she became infected with the bacteria.
According to the Des Moines Register:
"Why hasn't the meat ever been tested for this? This is something that my kid died for," said Dana Boner. "It makes me angry that no one ever checks for that."USDA officials aren't sure how prevalent O111 and the other non-O157 strains are but said that reports of illnesses are increasing.
Although strains of E. coli other that O157 can cause serious illness, such as Kayla’s, representatives from the meat industry still oppose the USDA’s plan to start testing for different bacteria. We support the USDA testing program and urge the USDA to take all measures to protect consumers from meat contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 E. coli.
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