E. coli Blog

WTAW reports that the Brazos County Health Department reports the source of 10 recent E. coli infections was ground beef served at a local restaurant.  However, the Department has not yet named the restaurant.

Investigators believe five confirmed cases and five probable cases made up an isolated incident and is not an ongoing threat to public health.  It is not known if the cause was due to improper temperature, improper cooking, or cross-contamination.

The health department says the unidentified restaurant has been fully cooperative during the investigation. Control measures have been implemented to prevent further cases including, mandatory glove use by employees and continuous monitoring by the health department.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 19 states. Three additional ill persons have been reported from Missouri (1) and Ohio (2).  The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons are female. Among 29 persons with available information, 9 (31%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Information available to date indicates that consumption of Farm Rich brand frozen food products is one likely source of infection for the ill persons in this outbreak.  The outbreak strain of STEC O121 has been identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons in Texas and New York.  On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation expanded its recall to include all Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between July 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.  The recalled products had “Best By” dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Details of Illnesses: The CDC announced an addition five ill, bringing the total to 32 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 reported from 18 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), New York (4), Ohio (4), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).  81% of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger.  35% of ill persons have been hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Environmental Investigation: The outbreak strain of STEC O121 has been identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons.  The Outbreaks Section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) Eastern Laboratory identified the outbreak strain from individually wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home in Texas.  The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain from an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen chicken quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

Recall Information: On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation expanded its recall to include all Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between July 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.  The recalled products had “Best By” dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014.  Download PDF of retail establishments: 025-2013, Frozen Chicken Quesadilla and Other Snack Products (E. coli O121).

About E. coli: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

According to press reports, Eighteen year old Robert Ormsby Jr. has been in ICU at the Buffalo Veterans Administration for nearly one week. The Tonawanda resident is being treated for severe complications from E. coli O121 contamination.

Of the 24 people known to have been sickened in the multistate E. coli O121 outbreak linked to frozen snacks, 7 were hospitalized and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E. coli infection marked by kidney failure, health authorities announced today.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service released more information about its outbreak investigation Thursday evening, a few hours after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published its own outbreak update in the form of an expanded recall of foods from Rich Products Corporation – the company whose frozen snacks have been linked to the E. coli outbreak.

The company is now recalling all products made at its Waycross, Georgia facility with an expiration date of January 1, 2013 through September 29, 2014.

With this new expansion, the total amount of food recalled in connection with this outbreak reaches over 10.5 million pounds, reported FSIS.

According to the agency, samples taken from two Rich Corporation foods have tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli. These include the company’s frozen mini quesadilla and leftover Farm Rich mini pepperoni slices collected from the home of one of the outbreak victims.

Ten patients in Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia recall eating Farm Rich products in the weeks leading up to their illnesses, according to FSIS.

For a full list of retailers that sell Rich Corp. products subject to the recall, go here.

E. coli O121 is one of the six newly emerging pathogenic strains of E. coli, or the “big six,” that were declared adulterants in meat and poultry by FSIS in June of 2012. Before that time, only E. coli O157:H7 was considered illegal in these products.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

• 15 States – Most ill in New York and Texas
• 24 Sickened by E. coli O121
• 78% – Under 21
• 63% – Female
• Youngest – 2 years
• Hospitalized – 7 (33%)
• Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome – 1
• No Deaths

A total of 24 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Michigan (2), Mississippi (1), New York (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 9, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Seventy-eight percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty-three percent of ill persons are female. Among 21 persons with available information, 7 (33%) reported being hospitalized. One ill person developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies indicate that Farm Rich brand frozen food products are one likely source of this outbreak of E. coli O121 infections.  The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.