Food Poisoning Bulletin
Florida is part of an E coli outbreak that includes Georgia and Louisiana, according to the Florida Department of Health. A spokesperson for the Florida DOH told Food Poisoning Bulletin that a case has been confirmed and that they are “using routine processes and working closely with the CDC in the investigation of a potential commonality.”
News of this multi-state outbreak began this week with the death of a toddler in New Orleans. Our investigation has found that Georgia and Florida also have patients ill with the same strain of E. coli 0145. No particular source has been pinpointed as the cause of this outbreak.
The CDC has not released any information about the outbreak. The case count is as follows:
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (5)
- Louisiana (3) (1 death)
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O145, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, STEC
Tagged e coli outbreak
Food Poisoning Bulletin
On May 26, 2012, a six year old boy in Massachusetts died from an E. coli infection, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health and the Worcester Department of Public Health. A press release by the City of Worcester, obtained by Food Poisoning Bulletin, confirms that he died from complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
The source of exposure has not yet been determined at this time. Officials are treating this as an isolated case, consistent with a food borne illness.”
It only takes 100 E. coli 0157 bacteria to make a healthy person sick. One bacterium is about 0.002 centimeters long, so a small amount of food can be easily contaminated with that amount. Children are more susceptible to complications from this type of infection because their immune systems are still developing.
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Microbiology, Pathogen
Tagged hemolytic uremic syndrome, massachusetts department of health, science
Food Poisoning Bulletin
These are 10 things you should know if your child has an E. coli infection or has been diagnosed with HUS:
- When your child is diagnosed with E. coli and/or HUS, you should contact your local health department immediately because additional testing needs to be done to determine if your child’s case of E. coli-HUS is part of an outbreak of illnesses. This is important because you may be able to provide information to health officials that helps them find the source of the outbreak.
- You should not throw away food you have that you suspect is the source of your child’s E. coli infection. The food may need to be tested for the presence of E. colibacteria and may be the “smoking gun” that determines the source of the outbreak.
- The food eaten immediately before onset of illness is generally not the cause of the illnessbecause the incubation period for E. coli is from 3 to 10 days.
- Because of the long incubation period, finding the source of an outbreak of E. coli-HUS can be difficult.During that time, the contaminated food responsible for the illnesses may have been eaten or thrown out. Even if a specific food source is not found, the outbreak investigation may lead to a legally responsible party, such as a restaurant.
- Quickly finding the source of an E. coli-HUS outbreak can help prevent additional illnesses.
- The CDC recommends that antibiotics not be used for E. coli infectionsbecause these medications increase the risk of developing HUS. You should make sure your doctor is aware of this.
- Medical research and better understanding of HUS by medical professionals has improved care for HUS patients, lowering the mortality rate. Even if your child is extremely ill, he or she will most likely survive.
- HUS may result in major long-term complications, including chronic renal failure, neurologic dysfunction, and hypertension.
- Even if your child appears to have recovered, he or she is at greater risk of developing kidney problems in the future, including renal failure, and may need a kidney transplant.
It should be noted that a closely related illness, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), is also caused by infection with Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (generally E. coli O157). In adults, the diagnosis for E. coli victims with kidney failure is often TTP-HUS and often involves neurological problems, including stroke, that result in permanent brain damage.
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research
Tagged incubation period for e coli, research
Food Poisoning Journal
FunFresh Foods, Inc. of San Clemente, California in consultation with the FDA is voluntarily recalling a single lot of its 6 ounce packages of FunFresh Foods™ World Berries™ Organic “Cacao Nibs” because they may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria (E. Coli O157:H7). E. coli O157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O157, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged cacao nibs, environment, health
FoodWorld 