St. Louis E. coli Outbreak Update: 30 Confirmed Cases
The investigation of the E. coli outbreak in the St. Louis, MO area continues, and new confirmed cases are added almost daily. There are now 30 people with confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7. All of these people were sickened by E. coli bacteria with matching DNA fingerprints. Most of them ate food from a Schnucks salad bar.
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One of the confirmed cases is not from the St. Louis area, but from Boone County. That person reported spending time in St. Louis during the timeframe established by the investigative team for the outbreak. Investigators continue to work with public health officials to determine whether three other specimens previously submitted from Boone County are connected to the outbreak. These specimens tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.
DHSS continues to work closely with a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC has set up a case study by contacting individuals in neighborhoods where patients have been identified. The case control study will enable investigators to compare data from participants with those who have become sick.
DHSS has tested 55 food samples obtained from Schnucks salad bars and ill person’s homes. None of the samples tested positive for E. coli. The search for the source of the outbreak now involves the inspection of facilities that may have been part of the distribution chain supplying salad bar items to Schnucks. The FDA is assisting with the investigation of these facilities because some of them are located in other states.
