That’s the word from Hershey Medical Center spokesman Scott Gilbert, who told about the unusually high number of HUS cases in children in an interview with Jim Tuttle of Public Opinion in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Three children with HUS are currently being treated at the medical center, including one who swam at Cowan’s Gap, Gilbert said.

In the Cowan’s Gap E. coli investigation, 15 people who swam in the lake during July have been identified as case patients. The park’s swimming facility has been closed and will not reopen this season, but a boil water advisory there has been lifted. People have returned to camping, fishing and using the park, but not in great numbers.

Christine Cronkright, Pennsylvania Department of Health, said the source of contamination has not been determined. “We can tell you that all of the tests that Department of Health conducted for E. coli 0157 at the lake came back negative,” she wrote in an e-mail to Public Opinion.

State and local E. coli investigators continue to look for the cause of this outbreak, which could possibly result in HUS litigation if a scientific explanation can be found. Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, a leading E. coli law firm representing outbreak victims, also is investigating and accepting clients who are deserving of answers. Compensation would be due to them if the bacterial source is the result of negligence. Free E. coli case consultations are available by submitting contact information online or calling a lawyer at the firm’s main line 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

The Pennsylvania hospital’s spokesman told the Record Herald newspaper in Waynesboro that there have been no new cases reported at Hershey in the last week. The medical center has treated eight patients in the last month for HUS. Five of them had ties to Cowans Gap, the spokesman said. So far, 14 cases of E. coli O157:H7 — 11 from Pennsylvania and three from Maryland — have been reported. All of them swam in the 42-acre lake at Cowans Gap between July 12 and July 31 and became ill a short time later. Of the Pennsylvania cases, six people are from Franklin County, four from Lancaster County and one from Huntingdon County, according to the newspaper. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is investigating and national E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys are monitoring the investigation on behalf of victims.

The lake closed August 9 due to the outbreak and has now reopened to boating and fishing. A different strain of E. coli was found in one of two wells at the park last week and a boil water notice was put in place Wednesday. The notice was lifted Sunday morning after “a string of good test results.”

HUS E. coli is a life-threatening condition in which the body’s red blood cells are fragmented by Shiga toxin, causing blocked circulation in the kidneys and elsewhere or bleeding in the brain. It predominantly causes kidney failure and most often affects children under 5, but people of all ages — including healthy young adults — can contract the disease and face death or dire illness, including paralysis or other central nervous system disorders. HUS can cause convulsions, strokes, severe anemia, vascular injury, heart problems and other serious health problems — both acute and long-term. Once an infection from a type of E. coli that emits a Shiga toxin has been established, no therapeutic interventions are available to lessen the risk of HUS from developing.

HUS symptoms may include: fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, decreased urination and swelling of the face, hands, feet, or entire body. Persons who experience these symptoms and believe they are at risk for HUS should seek emergency medical care immediately. HUS signs usually begin as the initial diarrhea from E. coli infection is improving.

But last year on test ponds in Georgia, Michael Jenkins and his colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service tested the survival rates of E. coli O157:H7 and four species of indicator bacteria. The tests showed that E. coli outlives the indicator bacteria — raising the potential for false negative test results. The experiments found that the indicator bacteria died off significantly more quickly than E. coli O157:H7 did. For example,  most cells of fecal Enterococcus—an indicator species—died in less than five days. But it took between seven and 18 days for most of the E. coli O157:H7 to die.

“We need to develop methods that are going to be able to quantify the pathogens themselves,” Jenkins is quoted as saying in a Kansas State University food safety website known as “bites.”

E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of E. coli that produces large quantities of a potent toxin that can damage the human intestinal tract with potentially fatal health consequences. Most people infected with E. coli O157:H7 develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after swallowing the organism. Some illnesses last longer and are more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by stool sample culture. While most people recover within a week, 5 to 15 percent of those who become infected develop life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS often begins as the diarrhea is improving and often results in a cascade of medical problems including kidney failure, seizures, stroke, respiratory distress, neurological deficits and other harms. HUS can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old and the elderly.

People can become infected with E. coli by the water they drink or swim in.  But E. coli in water also can cause large outbreaks of illness when it contaminates produce during irrigation, flooding or in runoff. Just last year the government investigated an outbreak of lettuce E. coli O145 in five Midwestern states that was traced back to romaine lettuce grown near Yuma, Arizona. No hard conclusions were reached as to how the lettuce became contaminated, but part of the investigation involved E. coli water sampling in a storm water retention pond and an irrigation canal.  The outbreak sickened 33 people.

Another 2010 E. coli outbreak involved water at Fralo’s Art of Pizza in San Antonio, Texas. In that outbreak, dozens of people became sick and the restaurant shut down temporarily because of a contaminated water supply.

The ARS field research into better collection methods occurred at the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center in Watkinsville, Georgia.  Similar methods have been developed to detect pathogenic E. coli in meat products, but the team’s approach represents a first for waterways.

For water sampling, traditional methods have involved looking for indicator pathogens because it is too hard to detect E. coli and Salmonella bacteria themselves because they are so dispersed. But it takes just 100 cells of Salmonella or 10–100 cells of E. coli O157:H7 to cause illness. The goal was to to be able to use the pathogens themselves in assessing the contamination, instead of the indicator organisms.

The researchers used a water-filtration technique to concentrate the pathogens; a special medium for growing and measuring the number of pathogenic cells; a biochemical testing process; and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology, a molecular identification technique often used to increase or magnify a small sample of DNA. The results were more effective for isolating E. coli and Salmonella in water and the finding is considered a breakthrough for all public health investigators.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys represents victims of water E. coli outbreaks and all other serious foodborne illness outbreaks where there is an identified source of contamination. If you or a loved one has been sickened by E. coli O157:H7 or other shiga toxin-producing type of E. coli (STEC), contact an E. coli lawyer at our firm for any questions you have about pursuing a legal claim. Free case consultations are provided by calling the firm 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or by completing our contact form.

At least 24 patrons of the popular Fralo’s pizza restaurant were sickened last week and water from the restaurant’s shallow well was identified as the suspected cause. A 400,000-gallon sewage spill at a nearby San Antonio Water System lift system coincided with the Fralo’s E. coli outbreak.

E. coli attorneys and food safety lawyers at Pritzker Olsen, P.A. are in contact with victims of this outbreak and the firm is conducting its own investigation into the food poisoning at Fralo’s. For a free case consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

“By serving food to the public, a restaurant is essentially guaranteeing that the food product is safe,” said food safety attorney Elliot Olsen. “If it turns out that any portion of that food is not safe, and people become sick as a result, the restaurant can be held responsible.”

PritzkerOlsen has a record of winning E. coli lawsuits against restaurants, food manufacturers, meatpackers and other purveyors of contaminated food. We are one of the few law firms in the county practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness and we have collected millions for victims of food poisoning.

Fralo’s Art of Pizza, near San Antonio, Texas, was closed briefly following an E. coli outbreak linked to their water supply. The restaurant’s E coli problems coincided with a lift station equipment failure across the road. As much as 400,000 gallons of sewage leaked into the ground from a sewer line. It has yet to be determined whether this is the source of the E coli water contamination of the restaurant’s septic tanks.

E. coli Outbreak: Water Contamination

Because harmful strains of E. coli can live in animal and human digestive systems, they can be present in the feces. After any kind of precipitation, E. coli from animal or human fecal matter can wash into groundwater, rivers, lakes and streams. This has the potential of contaminating the water sources and, if not treated adequately, can make people seriously ill.

Groundwater contamination is a hot topic and growing concern. Groundwater usually refers to water underground that can be removed by wells. If a well becomes contaminated, it can have far-reaching effects and take years to amend. The most common sources of groundwater contamination include improper disposal of wastes, faulty septic tanks, lift station sewage leaks, landfills, pesticides and fertilizers.

In an attempt to get this situation under control quickly, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has taken over this investigation. They will collect the facts surrounding this E. coli outbreak to determine how sewage found its way into Fralo’s well water. TCEQ is the environmental agency for the state of Texas charged with enforcing environmental regulations and issuing air and water operating permits to business entities operating in Texas.

The exact strain of E coli contamination has not been identified by authorities. There are many strains of pathogenic E. coli that can contaminate well water and cause serious illness and death, including:

• E. coli O157
• E. coli O26
• E. coli O45
• E. coli O103
• E. coli O111
• E. coli O121
• E. coli O145

For information about a Fralo’s lawsuit, please contact an E coli lawyer at Pritzker Olsen law firm by calling 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or submitting our free consultation form.

City health officials have since reported that water samples from the restaurant are now coming back clean, and Fralo’s is testing the restaurant’s water supply daily as an extra precaution. According to Sarah Gateswood, a spokesperson for San Antonio Water System:

“It is very hard to determine because there are so many factors that can impact water quality especially from a well, such as septic tanks. We know the area has a lot of septic tanks. The most important thing is for people to rest assured that the tests we are taking are coming back clean.”

E. coli Water Contamination in Restaurants

E. coli attorneys and food safety lawyers at Pritzker Olsen law firm are investigating illnesses potentially related to this outbreak. “By serving food to the public, a restaurant is essentially guaranteeing that the food product is safe,” said food safety attorney Elliot Olsen. “If it turns out that any portion of that food is not safe, and people become sick as a result, the restaurant can be held responsible.”

E. coli poisoning can lead to serious complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome, or E. coli HUS, which attacks blood cells and can cause kidney failure and even death. The lawyers at Pritzker Olsen represent clients who have become sick with E. coli from drinking contaminated water, and encourage anyone who thinks they may have become sick from E. coli in water to visit the doctor and get tested for the pathogen.

Sources:

http://www.ksat.com/news/24735142/detail.html

http://www.saws.org/latest_news/NewsDrill.cfm?news_id=702

Olsen reached a confidential six-figure settlement for a two-year-old E. coli victim in rural Iowa who was sickened by E. coli in well water at her family’s rented home.

The well owner contended the child contracted E. coli directly from cattle in nearby fields, but Olsen hired university experts to study and prove that manure runoff from the cattle seeped into the private well serving the house.

Sadly, the little girl was hospitalized for an extended period when she developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). She suffered permanent kidney damage and is at risk for needing a kidney transplant in the future.

Meanwhile in Missouri, Cape Girardeau County Public Health said there are 7 laboratory-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7, all children. In addition, there are 11 other probable infections. The gym in question is the Class Act Family Fitness Center, 2336 County Road 307 in Jackson, which has agreed to cease providing water to its users.

Water from the well used by Class Act Family Fitness has tested positive for E. coli, and further testing is being done to determine if it is E. coli O157:H7.

HUS can develop in any person with an E. coli O157:H7 infection, but children are the most prone to this life-threatening disease. In Missouri, at least four of the well water E. coli victims were hospitalized.

To prevent similar outbreaks, Olsen recommends the following testing requirements for well owners who supply water for a business or rental property:

• Mandatory yearly testing of water for E. coli and other pathogens.
• Mandatory testing of water if the well has been overtopped by flood water or compromised.
• Required posting of well water risks near water fountains and water taps.

Attorney Elliot Olsen represents E. coli victims nationwide. He can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or by completing an online contact form.

Many people think foods–particularly ground beef or leafy greens–are the only sources of E. coli infections in humans, but that is untrue. Drinking water contaminated with E. coli can be just as deadly or life-changing as any other E. coli infection. In this case, the drinking water at a rural Iowa rental home was supplied by a well that was contaminated with the pathogen, and a toddler living at the home became seriously ill in 2007.

Early E. coli symptoms included severe abdominal pain and diarrhea, but soon developed into a serious kidney condition that attacks red blood cells and is called hemolytic uremic syndrome (E. coli HUS). The child was hospitalized for a month and put on kidney dialysis. Although her condition has improved she will have lifelong kidney damage and is at risk for needing a kidney transplant in the future.

Local authorities tested the home’s tap water and found E. coli in the water supply about a month after the child became sick. Pritzker Olsen attorneys hired a microbiologist, pediatric nephrologist and geohydrologist to serve as expert witnesses who could communicate to the defense attorneys that the conditions on the home’s property did, indeed, lead to the child’s illness, which seriously affected her life and the lives of her family members. It was found that the well water likely became contaminated with E. coli from manure that rainwater washed into the water supply from fields of cattle that grazed uphill from the well not far from the home.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services, the  Class Act Sports Complex E. coli outbreak began at the end of April.

Officials with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center tested water from a drinking fountain and a faucet within the facility and confirmed the presence of E. coli in both samples. The sports complex, which is served by a private well, shut off its water at the urging of local health officials.

The state health agency said testing confirmed five E. coli infections. Nine other illnesses in people who drank water are considered probable cases of E. coli.

The Department of Health and Senior Services said it is working with local health officials to determine the source of the contamination. The agency did not say what type of E. coli was found.

People who have become ill after drinking water at the Class Act Sports Complex are asked to contact local health officials. For answers to legal questions about the outbreak, victims may call food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our online contact form.

Pritzker Olsen is one of the few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. Over the years, we have collected millions for victims and we are involved in practically every major outbreak of food poisoning.