Cowans Gap E. coli Outbreak Sends Children to the Hospital with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
Our attorneys are investigating cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by E. coli O157:H7 infections in Pennsylvania. Read about children and HUS and watch our video.
There have been 8 children with E. coli HUS at Hershey Medical Center since the beginning of August. Five of them swam in the lake at Cownans Gap State Park. These children are part of a larger E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with swimming in the lake. To date, 11 E. coli cases have been confirmed and 2 are probable.
HUS develops when certain strains of E. coli bacteria (E. coli O157:H7 is one of them) lodge in the digestive tract and make toxins (Shiga toxins) that enter the bloodstream and start to destroy red blood cells. Over 80% of HUS cases are caused by E. coli infections. Most of these infections are caused by contaminated food, such as ground beef, lettuce and raw milk. But children can contract E. coli infections from contaminated lake water, as happened in this outbreak.
HUS is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. When the kidneys fail, they are no longer able to remove wastes, concentrate urine, or regulate many other important body functions. Children with kidney failure need dialysis or a kidney transplant. According to a leading medical journal article, the incidence of death or permanent kidney failure from HUS is 12%.
