Apple Cider Suspected in Tri State E coli Outbreak
Apple cider is suspected as a the cause of E coli poisonings in Iowa and Illinois. There are now a
half dozen E coli cases in the area. According to WKOW-TV in Madison,Wisconsin:
There are now six confirmed cases of E coli in the Tri-States, and a source might have been discovered among the ones in Southeast Iowa. According to the Burlington Hawkeye, late last week, the Des Moines County and Lee County Health Departments each confirmed another infection. That puts the E coli case count at three in Lee County, two in Des Moines County, and one in Hancock County. Yesterday, the Hancock County Health Department released a statement saying their case was unrelated to the recent Iowa infections. The Hawkeye reports that sources close to the Iowa cases believe that unpasteurized apple cider caused children to become sick. However, no businesses or facilities have been asked to shut down in connection to the cases. It is not uncommon for ground apples to be used for making cider, but people often forget that cows often visit such areas first. Also the Iowa Department of Public Health put out a press release Tuesday warning people to take caution when drinking unpastuerized apple cider. The story of one of the victims, 7-year-old TiAhnna Bryant, can be found here.
the list that already includes the Little Red Rooster restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Harvey's in North Bay--all closed because they are associated with ongoing E coli outbreaks.
Bjorn Christensen, the Niagara's director of environmental health, said they have not yet been able to determine the specific source of the E. coli, but it is commonly found in undercooked beef.
The Riojas family ate at the Ixtapa Restaurant in Lake Stevens on or about October 11. One of their daughters began to feel ill on October 13, and on the 14th was sent home from school. She began to experience diarrhea, which soon turned bloody. On October 16, Mrs. Riojas took her daughter to the pediatrician, where she was advised to go to the Children’s Hospital Emergency Room. At the ER, the child was treated for dehydration and released. Over that day, her symptoms continued to worsen. In severe pain, she was returned to the ER, where she was treated with pain medication and allowed to go home. That night, the child was taken to the ER for a third time, where she began to vomit blood. She was admitted, and a stool sample revealed that she was infected with E. coli O157:H7. The genetic pattern of her E. coli would later match others in the developing outbreak tied to the Ixtapa Restaurant.
"We believe the increase in the number of cases is largely due to people who are still reporting their symptoms and are within the expected timeframe of the outbreak," the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit said in a statement.
since the outbreak -- was filed Monday in Washtenaw County Circuit Court on behalf of a U-M senior who alleges she was sickened in the outbreak, which has been linked to Aunt Mid's. At least 38 people were sickened in Michigan last month by an E. coli strain linked to industrial-size packages of iceberg lettuce distributed by Aunt Mid's to restaurants and institutions. In her complaint, the student says she consumed the contaminated lettuce in mid-September, and by Sept. 19, she began to experience abdominal cramps, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. She sought treatment at the University of Michigan Health Service Clinic. An MSU student has also sued Aunt Mid's in connection with the E. coli outbreak.
routine that its like background music.
Canada has seen more of its fair share of food-borne illness in recent months, especially with the Maple Leaf listeria outbreak that has killed 20. Now its got a full-blown E. coli outbreak on its hands as well.
instant, the path meat takes to our tables should not come as a surprise. Still, we are reminded how quickly these linkages can catch up with us when the United States is recalling Nicaraguan-produced beef being distributed by a packer in Puerto Rico.
We received several calls last Monday from sorority sisters who had been sickened by 
from farm to farm and spend the afternoon getting to know the farmers, dairy cows and goats in your community and beyond. Tour the farms, taste the milk, and even purchase a gallon to bring home!"
Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) is currently investigating a cluster of
Initial investigations indicate that on-campus dining is not related to the illness. BCPH staff is working closely with CU and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to identify the source of the outbreak and any additional cases among students and the public. According to the