Dyspepsia is the medical term for indigestion and is characterized by pain, bloating, stomach discomfort and vomiting.

Many of our clients sickened byE. coli O157  have dyspepsia long after the passing of their acute illness. Is there a relationship between these symptoms and the initial illness?  Emerging medical studies offer strong evidence of just such a connection.

In 2000 there was a massive water-borne E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada.  The only good thing to come of it was the unprecedented opportunity to study the long-terms effects on those individuals exposed to bacterial dysentery. One such  recent study, “Prevalence of Uninvestigated Dyspepsia 8 Years After a Large Waterborne Outbreak of Bacterial Dysentery: A Cohort Study,” published in the journal, Gastroenterology,  concluded:

This 8-year study has demonstrated a greater than 2-fold increase  in the prevalence of dyspepsia in subjects exposed to acute gastroenteritis compared with nonexposed individuals, suggesting that acute enteric infections have the ability to trigger symptoms that affect the upper, as well as the lower GI tract, with long-lasting consequences.

Emerging medical literature is showing that dyspepsia, decreased kidney function, high blood pressure and allied medical problems are long-term consequences of E. coli O157:H7 even in those individuals who were previously thought to have made a full recovery.

That’s what Elliot Olsen of national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen told a gathering this week of high-ranking executives whose companies are members of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). The trade group of growers and marketers of fresh produce invited Olsen for the second time in two months to explain gaps he sees in companies that neglect food purity responsibilities and find themselves on the receiving end of an E. coli lawsuit from Pritzker Olsen or some other advocate for victims of food poisoning.

Over the years, Pritzker Olsen has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of those seriously sickened by contaminated food. Produce marketers wanted to hear from him on how to spare themselves the nightmare of losing their business to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter or other pathogen.

The PMA food safety symposium was in Austin, Texas, and Olsen is scheduled to speak again in October to PMA’s regional food safety symposium in Rochester, New York.

A major portion of his presentation in Austin focused on the human cost of these outbreaks, which can lead to death or serious long-term health deficiencies. Take for instance a past client of Pritzker Olsen, Mr. Lewis (not his real name.) Mr. Lewis was a very active and healthy 81-year-old retiree who was enjoying a very active and healthy life. When he contracted Listeriosis from contaminated food, he was hospitalized for neurological damage that partially paralyzed him. For 400 days he lived in a nursing home, never regaining his health. At the time of his death he was hardly recognizable.

Olsen said the PMA audiences were receptive to his emphasis on doing things  the right way inside the food chain to eliminate the spread of potentially deadly pathogens.

“It’s not just a game to us,” he said. “Part of our mission is prevention. We can eventually eradicate foodborne illness.”

For more information on E. coli lawsuits or to contact Mr. Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). To receive a free case consultation over the internet, complete one of our online contact forms.

The contaminated ground beef that caused the illnesses was all purchased from 4 grocery stores in the west metro area since April 12. Any fresh ground beef, fresh or frozen meatloaf, and ground chili meat is purchased at a Lunds or Byerly’s grocery after April 7 could possibly be contaminated and should not be eaten. If someone did eat possibly contaminated meat, any extra meat should be saved for possible evidence.

E. coli can be killed through proper cooking if the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, but it is easy to cross contaminate food if one is not careful with the preparation. So it is best to dispose of the possibly contaminated meat products.