Michigan E. coli Outbreak Investigation Continues
Health officials are continuing to investigate the Michigan E. coli outbreak linked to The Ambassador restaurant in the Upper Peninsula town of Houghton, a health department spokeswoman has confirmed.
At least seven people who dined at the restaurant in late December have confirmed cases of E. coli poisoning, four of them have been hospitalized, according to the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department.
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Health officials have determined that the likely source of the outbreak was a food-handler at the restaurant who was ill. They are urging anyone who became ill with bloody diarrhea in late December or early January to contact the health department.
The bacteria E.coli can cause serious sometimes fatal infections if ingested. Symptoms of an E.coli infection include severe abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Young children, the elderly, or those who are immunocompromised are most at risk. In roughly 8 percent of cases, patients develop Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) a condition that causes kidney failure and requires hospitalization for treatment which can include dialysis and transfusions.
If you have legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak, contact the foodborne illness attorneys at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for free consultation. A toll free number is also available: 1(888) 377-8900.
Long-Term Risks of E.coli Poisoning
Every year, more than a quarter of a million Americans are sickened by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). E. coli O157:H7 is the most common STEC strain and it is the strain at the heart of the outbreak linked to The Ambassador restaurant in Houghton, Michigan that has sickened seven people, four of whom required hospitalization.
In some cases, between 5 and 10 percent, those diagnosed with an STEC infection, develop a potentially life threatening complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and require hospitalization becasue of potential kidney failure. HUS usually effects children under 10, but it can also effect adolescents and adults. HUS usually runs its course within 15 days, but it can lead to serious long-term illness including:
Kidney Failure
HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children. Impaired urine production during HUS can lead to long-term health consequences including chronic kidney impairment.
Neurological Damage
During the acute stage of HUS, patients can experience seizures, stroke or coma. These can cause long-lasting or permanent neurological damage.
Diabetes
During the acute phase of HUS, patients can develop diabetes, which can persist over the long term.
Gastro-intestinal problems
HUS patients are at risk of developing gall stones, irritable bowel syndrome, or experiencing a narrowing of the small intestine or colon.
If you have questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak, contact the attorneys at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.
Lawyer for NC State Fair E. coli Victims Studying What Safeguards Were in Place to Protect Kids, Adults
Despite the obvious risk of E. coli transmission, a quarter of the people who attended livestock exhibits at the North Carolina State Fair had physical contact with the animals in a setting that gave way to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that hospitalized eight people.
Four of those victims suffered a life-threatening complication of the infection known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a disease that shuts down a person’s kidneys and can lead to stroke, heart attack and central nervous system damage.
HUS E. coli lawyers from Pritzker Olsen Attorneys have been in contact with families affected by this dangerous spread of bacteria. Our attorneys are conducting an investigation of what preventive measures were in place to stop the spread of pathogens that are well known risks at fairs, shows and petting zoos.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said this week that some measures were in place, but a North Carolina task force is also studying the extent of prevention.
Twenty-five case patients got sick between October 16–25. Fair officials were notified a day after the fair ended in Raleigh that four people were confirmed to have infections from the same strain of E. coli. In all, approximately 1 million visitors had attended the fair.
According to the CDC, the only exposure associated with illness was having visited one of the permanent structures in which sheep, goats, and pigs were housed for livestock competitions. “Fair attendees were not intended to have physical contact with animals in the building; however, 25 percent of case-patients (three of 12) and 24 percent of control subjects (five of 21) who visited the building reported direct contact with animals.”
The report noted that a previous E. coli outbreak was linked to a petting zoo at the 2004 North Carolina State Fair, resulting in 187 illness, 15 of which were complicated by HUS. The 2004 outbreak led to the passage of Aedin’s Law in North Carolina, which created regulations for exhibitions housing animals intended for physical contact. The CDC report said the 2011 animal exhibits didn’t fall under the law, but nonetheless some prevention measures were adopted from national guidelines that apply to having animals in public settings.
If you or a loved one has been sickened in this outbreak, contact Pritzker Olsen for a free case consultation by leaving your contact information or calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). A State Fair E. coli lawsuit will consider why the safety and well-being of children and others was not adequately protected.
Pritzker Olsen is a national food safety law firm with many years of experience in outbreak investigations and E. coli litigation. We have won tens of millions of dollars over the years for those who have been harmed by negligence. Our firm also is actively involved in multiple efforts to prevent the spread of pathogens that cause foodborne illness. Outbreaks are preventable and legal action, in our experience, is a meaningful agent for systematic change.
Romaine Lettuce From Salad Bars At St Louis Schnucks Stores, Minnesota and Missouri Universities Linked to 60-Person E. coli Outbreak
Romaine Lettuce is the likely source of an E. coli outbreak that sickened 60 people in 10 states, according to a report 
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The outbreak, which initially was thought to have stricken 37 salad bar customers at Schnucks grocery stores in the St. Louis area, was linked to a single lot of Romaine lettuce grown on a California farm.
The search for the source has been ongoing sine the outbreak began on October 10. Because multiple tests at various Schnucks locations never revealed the presence of E.coli, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the traceback investigation to include suppliers and distributors of the grocery chain.
Working with several state agencies, the FDA conducted traceback investigations for romaine lettuce to try to identify the source of contamination. Traceback analysis determined that a single common lot of romaine lettuce harvested from a California farm was used to supply the Schnucks grocery store chain as well as the university campus in Minnesota during the time of the illnesses. The same lot was also provided to a distributor that supplied lettuce to the university campus in Missouri, but records were not sufficient to determine if this lot was sent to this university campus.
As of November 30, 2011, 60 people had been infected with the same strain of E. coli 0157:H7. The confirmed illnesses by state are as follows: Arizona (1), Arkansas (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (9), Indiana (2), Kansas (3), Kentucky (1), Minnesota (3), Missouri (37), and Nebraska (1).
An E.coli infection can create serious illness. Most people infected with E. coli O157:H7 develop bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days after swallowing the organism, but some illnesses last longer and are more severe. A type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can begin as the diarrhea is improving; this condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old and the elderly. Signs and symptoms of HUS 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.
Anyone with legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak should contact the foodborne illness attorneys at PritzkerOlsen for a free consultation.
Organic Pastures Had Other Food Safety Issues Before Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak
Organic Pastures, California’s largest producer of raw milk, halted production last week after an E.coli outbreak that sickened five children was linked to the dairy’s raw milk. Owner Mark McAfee maintains his milk is healthful and risk-free, but this is not the first time the dairy has had trouble with food safety issues.
The Fresno County Department of Health has inspected Organic Pastures 10 times over the last 15 months. Four of those were routine inspections where “significant violations” were found that required mandatory re-inspection. Some of these violations were for unsanitary conditions, such as a broken toilet, lack of hot water for hand washing in the bathroom sink, manure on barn walls and exit ramps and under barn mats, all of which were cited in a report from August 24, 2010. Other reports site the lack of a concrete pad at a docking station and beneath a mobile barn.
- On September 12, 2008, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CFDA) issued a recall for raw cream manufactured at the dairy after tests showed it was contaminated with Campylobacter.
- On September 7, 2007, the CFDA issued a recall for raw cream manufactured at the dairy after Listeria monocytogenes bacteria turned up on a routine inspection.
- On September 21, 2006, the CFDA issued a recall after four children contracted E. coli infections after consuming raw milk products from the dairy.
Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli are all dangerous pathogens that can cause serious sometimes fatal infections. With all foodborne illnesses, children are among those most a risk for serious complications, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which can lead to kidney failure.
A press release on the Organic Pastures website states:
“It is a common goal of Organic Pastures and the California Department of Public Health to rapidly investigate any linkage between these cases and raw milk. Each month CDFA tests all Organic Pastures’ products for pathogens, in addition Organic Pastures uses a third party for pathogen testing multiple times per week. All these tests have been negative. It has been reported to us by the California Department of Public Health that as of today all products collected from the ill patients have been negative for E. Coli 0157:H7.”
But a review of CFDA inspections does support the claim that the dairy is inspected each month. Four of the 10 inspections during the last 15 months were mandatory re-inspections. Had they not been required, the dairy would have had six inspections during a 15 month period.
In a USA Today story, McAfee says that the state of California has no evidence that shows children drank contaminated milk and that he finds the case “highly suspicious.” But, as Steve Lyle of the CFDA countered in the story, ”milk is perishable, so the product consumed by the children was not available for testing” by the time they got sick “and that’s typically to be expected.”
Anyone who experiences abdominal cramping or bloody diarrhea after consuming raw milk products should seek immediate medical attention. Those with questions regarding an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak should contact the national food safety law firm PritzkerOslen P.A. for a free consultation.
