E Coli Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark Law Firm : E. coli Blog

Fresno County  health officials continue to investigate an E. coli outbreak that has sickened as many as 20 people so far.  According to a report from KFSN-TV in Fresno, the Fresno County Health Department and Fresno County Environmental Health are looking into whether the Meat Market is the source of the E. coli outbreak. 

The Fresno County Health Department says 20 cases have been reported. Dr. Ed Moreno, Fresno County Public Health Director, says, "There are actually several cases that are under investigation by public health staff. In particular, we have three private events that have come to our attention." Each occurred May 19th. "Among these three events, there was one common supplier of food, " says Dr. Moreno. He continues, "There was also a wedding and another graduation party and everybody narrowed it down to the meat. . .everybody was picking up their meat at the same time, at the Meat Market."

The grill at the popular Meat Market in north Fresno was shut down for about an hour while county health inspectors checked the facility. Tim Casagrande, Fresno County Environmental Health says, "Our staff's gonna be looking at essentially food handling, critical points, temperatures."

Laboratory results from samples submitted by five outbreak victims have already come back positive for E. coli, and additional tests on other outbreak victims are pending.  In a story for the Fresno Bee, Barbara Anderson wrote:

A Saint Agnes Medical Center spokeswoman said doctors saw six patients with E. coli symptoms between Thursday and Sunday. Two of the six were admitted and one remained in the hospital Tuesday, she said.

Moreno said people began showing up at emergency departments on May 21 with cramping pain and bloody diarrhea. Hospital laboratories reported results of E. coli tests to the county Friday and Saturday.

Symptoms of E. coli typically surface in two to three days from exposure, but can take up to eight days to appear.

Hospital tests showed the patients -- from toddlers to older adults -- had a strain of E. coli O157, Moreno said. County health officials suspect the strain is E. coli O157:H7, a more virulent form, but results confirming it will not be available from the state laboratory for at least another week.

The Bee also reported that one person remained hospitalized at Saint Agnes Medical Center.  The story does not say whether that person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli infection that can lead to kidney failure. 

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California health officials continue their investigation into an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least a dozen people in the Bakersfield, California, area.  A story posted at KGET.com indicated that food served at a restaurant may be the source of the outbreak: 

After our story aired Tuesday night, we received several calls from viewers claiming to know where the 12 children became sickened.

A common thread is a restaurant in Bakersfield, but the Kern County Health Department will not reveal its location.

Health officials continued to say there is no immediate threat to the public and that is why the health department will not officially name the pizzeria.

KERO reported that the father of a child ill with E. coli is exhibiting symptoms of E. coli infection, and is being monitored, and yesterday's Bakersfield Californian included a report that four children were hospitalized after contracting E. coli infections.  Two of those children have been released, but two remain hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome:

Two of the hospitalized children have been released, and two developed hemolytic-uremic syndrome -- a condition marked by kidney failure and seen in serious foodborne illnesses -- and were transferred to hospitals outside Kern County.

The 6-year-old Reagan kindergartner at Madera's Children's Hospital Central California has remained in good condition, which means his vital signs are stable and he is conscious.

While he hasn't regained any kidney function, the dialysis is starting to work, said the boy's father, who did not wish to be named.

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This week's food safety infosheet from the International Food Safety Network focuses on E. coli outbreaks in California and Minnesota.  Both outbreaks were traced to ground beef, and both are still being investigated by health officials. 

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The Bakersfield Californian reported today that at least four children have become ill with symptoms of E. coli infection, and have been hospitalized - two with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).  Health officials are continuing their investigation into the apparent outbreak, and are assessing potential common exposures the children may have had.  According to the article, "At this point, all that's known is that the four children, who know one another from school or play dates, suffered bloody diarrhea after attending several parties and playing at a local park."

KGET reported that seven children had been counted as being part of the potential outbreak:

[S]ix kindergardners are sick, some of them hospitalized with the sometimes fatal disease.

An eighth student is a 10-year-old relative of of one of the kindergarders.

HUS develops when the toxin from E. coli bacteria, known as Shiga-like toxin (SLT) [1,2], enters the circulation by binding to special receptors. These Shiga-toxin receptors, known as Gb3 receptors [1], are probably heterogeneously distributed in the major body organs allowing disparate thrombotic (blood clotting) impacts in different HUS victims, although the greatest receptor concentration appears to be in the kidneys, especially in children. As the inflammatory reaction process accelerates, red blood cells are destroyed and cellular debris aggregates within the microvasculature while the body’s inherent clot breaking mechanisms are disrupted. The result is formation of microthrombi within particularly susceptible organs such as the kidneys and brain. Because there exists no way to halt the progression of HUS, doctors are left to support the HUS victim while the acute process runs its course.

Some organs appear more susceptible than others to the damage caused by these toxins, possibly due to the presence of increased numbers of toxin-receptors. These organs include the kidney, pancreas, and brain.  An animated video of how E. coli attaches to the intestinal wall and releases shiga-toxins, causing infection, is available at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Web site.

[1]  Recent research suggests that E. coli O157:H7 acquired its pathological character when a bacteriophage (virus that infects bacteria) transmitted genetic material for the creation of the toxin from a closely related Shigella bacterial species (hence the epithet, Shiga-like toxin) to a formerly benign species of E. coli.

[2]  Verotoxin-globotriaosyl ceramide binding receptors.

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CHRISTY LATTIN, clattin@lahontanvalleynews.com
July 1, 2006

While many are grilling burgers and having fun this holiday weekend, one Fallon family is maintaining a vigil by their little girl's hospital bed in Oakland, hoping and praying she'll overcome an E. coli infection.

Four-year old Lanie Hope Smith of Fallon, daughter of Ken Smith of Reno and Melanie Smith of Fallon, fell ill last weekend and was admitted into Banner Churchill Community Hospital on Sunday, said her great-aunt Marie Nygren. Test were run but the cause of her stomach cramps were unknown.

Nygren said Lanie's kidneys began failing and she was transferred to Washoe Medical Center, where it was determined she had the E. coli infection. According to the WebMD Web site, E. coli is a bacterium with hundreds of strains that can live harmlessly in the digestive tracts. Some strains produce a toxin that can lead to kidney failure.

While at Washoe Med, Lanie's kidneys began shutting down and her blood cell counts became dangerously abnormal, said her grandfather, Jack McKay.

The Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, Calif., was alerted and sent a plane to Reno for Lanie. Lanie flew to Oakland where she was admitted on Wednesday. Nygren said Lanie had surgery to insert two shunts for kidney dialysis.

Kathy Smith of Reno, Lanie's grandmother, said she was in stable condition around noon on Friday and that her son hasn't moved from her side.

"They're bonded, Daddy and daughter," she said. "He's very involved, they're very close. There's a heavy duty bond there."

Smith said because Lanie's kidneys are compromised, excess fluid is building in her system and she now has fluid in her lungs. The little girl is hooked up to continuous dialysis and oxygen.

Smith said the first sign of happiness was when Lanie woke briefly and asked her dad why she was in the hospital and were they up in the air together.

"This has really affected all of us. We're used to her being active and excited about life. She hasn't said much since she got sick," said Smith.

McKay said Lanie was sedated at Banner Hospital and Washoe Med because of the stomach pains.

Smith said Lanie performed in her first ballet recital earlier this month and was very excited.

"She put her hands around her mouth and told her mom to 'Find my Daddy.' He was there filming but she just couldn't see him," she said.

McKay said his step-daughter Melanie has been tough through the ordeal but had a few breakdowns as the bad news continued.

Smith said Lanie could be hospitalized in Oakland from three weeks to two months. She's sent prayers to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem and to a global radio prayer ministry.

McKay said Lanie's been going downhill for the past few days, but Washoe Med told them her health would deteriorate before improving.

"She's very, very sick," he said.

Nygren has established a fund at Colonial Bank to help pay for family expenses related to Lanie's illness and McKay said he will collect funds at his business, Jack's Place on Center Street.

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