Mystery In Dixon And No Plans To Solve It--But Hey You Are OK!

Posted by E. coli Attorney on December 28, 2008

It's hard to believe, but there is a county in the big, rich state of California where an E. coli death does not even get a full ten days worth of investigation before the case is closed without finding a source.

Oh, but public health officials involved can assure the public that the county's restaurant food and water is all safe. "Everything is fine, move along!"

The place we are talking about is Solano County, CA where a Dixon boy died Dec. 19th from an E. coli infection. We originally reported on the death here on Dec. 20th.  Without finding the source, public health officials there abandoned their investigation on Dec. 26th.

The county health officer, Dr. Ronald Chapman, says he doesn't know how the Dixon teenager was infected, but there was no contamination of the area's water or restaurant food. He says there's no threat to the public.

The boy's name and age were not disclosed, supposedly for privacy reasons.

Tests showed a second Dixon child who recovered from severe diarrhea was not infected with E. coli. No other cases have been reported.

Chapman says E. coli is present naturally in the intestinal tract and sometimes can enter the blood stream. Symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. 

9-Year Old Girl Has To Take Ag Giant Cargill To Court To Get Justice

Posted by E. coli Lawyer on December 24, 2008

When the Minnesota-based Agricultural giant Cargill dumps on you...well it is not a pretty site.  The privately-owned company still 85 percent controlled by the descendants of the MacMillan and Cargill families.  It clicks off $1 billion in profits a quarter and its $120 billion in annual revenues would put it in the top 20 if it were publicly traded and eligible for the Fortune 500.

Between the 9th and 17ths of August, 2007, Cargill's meat processing plant in Butler, Wisconsin produced frozen beef patties that were contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. Those patties mostly went to Walmart and Sam's Club stores for sale to the general public. In October, 2007, Cargill recalled 850,000 pounds of the frozen beef.   The E. coli contamination was discovered by the Minnesota food safety officials.

People in multiple states ate the poison.  Today comes word that the family of 9-year old Ruth Hemmingson of Mahtomedi, MN has sued Cargill. The girl spent a month in St. Paul Children's Hospital after her organs shut down from E coli poisoning.

Channel 5, the ABC affiliate in the Twin Cities, reports:

The family's current medical bills and future medical needs are expected to top $4 million, according to the lawsuit. The company and the family could not agree on a settlement.

 "You kind of stand there with your hands up in the air, somebody help us and take responsibility," said Ruth's father, Art Hemmingson. "And that's what we're asking Cargill to do - is take responsiblity for what they've done."

"She's the only nine-year-old I know who has a burial site. I mean, that's how serious it got," said Leah Hemmingson, Ruth's mother.

Ruth is among four Minnesota children who got sick after eating American Chefs Brand frozen beef patties. 

Ruth's lawyers are Sieben, Crose, Von Holtum & Carey in Minneapolis and Marler Clark in Seattle. So far, there's been no comment from Cargill.

Dixon, CA Child Dies From E Coli Infection

Posted by E. coli Lawyer on December 20, 2008

A  Dixon, CA child died of an E. coli infection late Thursday, according to Solano County Public Health officials.  They were investigating the death along with testing on a second Dixon child  who displayed some symptoms but is now home and "doing well." 

"It is a tragedy to lose a child and our hearts and prayers go out to this child's family and friends," said Dr. Ronald Chapman, MD, MPH, Health Officer and Deputy Director in a press release . "Public Health is investigating the death to see if we can identify where or how the minor contracted the E. coli infection. Sometimes an investigation can point to a probable cause and in other cases, the source of the infection remains unknown."

Solano Public Health staff are back-tracking the minor's activities, food sources, and water sources, and are in close communication with the State laboratory which is testing blood samples to determine the specific strain of E. coli.

Both water districts in Dixon have been testing upstream and downstream from the dead child's home with negative results for E. coli.

Ontario E Coli Outbreak Over; Source Was NOT Confirmed

Posted by E. coli Lawyer on December 09, 2008

The E. coli outbreak up in Ontario that dates back to October has officially been declared over.  It impacted the hammer-head southeast area of Ontario that is closest to the United States.

Health officials tied the outbreak to romaine lettuce, but could not nail down the precise source.

The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care issued this summary: 

"E. coli outbreaks in five health units have been declared over since the risk of ongoing transmission appears to have ended. The last date of onset for a confirmed case was November 6, 2008.

 

"Listed below is the updated number of cases for each of the five public health units, as of Friday, December 5, 2008 :

 

Total Cases

Confirmed Cases

Probable Cases (*)

Niagara

26

13

13

Guelph

26

7

19

Halton

12

6

6

Waterloo

2

2

0

Hamilton

1

1

0

(*) – Probable cases will never be reclassified as confirmed cases, as confirmed cases require laboratory confirmation and a PFGE pattern (DNA fingerprint) that matches the outbreak pattern. Laboratory confirmation or PFGE patterns were not obtained for these cases for reasons such as recovery from illness before samples were taken.

QUICK FACTS
  • The source (or sources) of E. coli was not confirmed.
  • It’s important to wash fresh fruits and vegetables with clean running water to remove any surface dirt, sand and harmful organisms. Soaking in a big bowl of water is not recommended.
  • Products that have been labelled as pre-washed should be washed again at home.
  • There are about 350 cases of E. coli O157:H7 each year in Ontario.

For more from the Ministry, go here.

 

Family Says Their Mother Died From E Coli

Posted by E. coli Lawyer on December 05, 2008

Deaths of elderly people suffering from other illnesses that are ultimately struck down by E. coli or Salmonella often end up with a confused death certificate being issued.   We saw that during the recent Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak when the two men who died were recovering from un-related diseases when what they ate proved fatal.    Remember the first victim who was out celebrating his recovery from cancer when he was struck down by eating contaminated tomatoes or peppers?

That's why a case in Nebraska that is making news is significant.   The Omaha World Herald reports on what is going on this way:

A Bellevue woman and her husband say her mother's death should warn hospitals and doctors that bloody diarrhea can be a sign of deadly E. coli.

Ruby Trautz died in August 2006 during a large, nationwide E. coli outbreak involving tainted spinach.

Her daughter and son-in-law, Polly and Ken Costello, have sued Creighton University Medical Center, Creighton University and Creighton physicians, saying they misdiagnosed Trautz's case.

Although the suit calls for financial damages, the Costellos say what they really want is for Creighton to establish a protocol in which a patient showing bloody diarrhea automatically is tested for E. coli.

Check out the rest of the story here.