Huntsville E. coli outbreak ends in death

WAFF reported this morning that one of the victims of an E. coli outbreak traced back to Little Rosie's Mexican restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama, has died. The victim, whose name was not released, became ill with an E. coli infection in July, and developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli infection.

The woman was one of the first to develop the E. coli bacteria in her bloodstream in July, and had spent the last several weeks in the hospital.

The family says the bacteria acted at least as a catalyst in their loved one's death. She passed away Wednesday morning.

The only common denominator among the cases health department officials could find was shredded lettuce served at Little Rosie's, a Mexican restaurant in Huntsville.

Health officials have not yet released information on whether they were able to identify a specific food served at Little Rosie's that was the source of the E. coli outbreak.
 

Huntsville child released from hospital after suffering E. coli, HUS

An article for the Huntsville Times gave an account of the homecoming of Samuel Coggin, a five-year-old boy who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and hemolytic uremic syndrome after eating at Little Rosie's restaurant in Huntsville.

Samuel spent about three weeks on dialysis after the dangerous E. coli O157:H7 bacteria caused his kidneys to fail, a condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Nineteen people became ill with E. coli infections after eating at Little  Rosie's Taqueria inn July.  Three people were hospitalized, including Samuel.  The other to people who developed HUS remain hospitalized.  One is in serious condition at Huntsville Hospital, and the other is hospitalized at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.
 

Three still hospitalized with E. coli after eating at Little Rosie's

Health officials say the Huntsville outbreak most likely was caused by contaminated lettuce served at Little Rosie's between June 27 and June 30. Eighteen of the 19 known victims ate at the popular Mexican restaurant on Whitesburg Drive on those dates; the other infected person did not eat at Little Rosie's and caught the bacteria another way.

Three Little Rosie's customers have been in the hospital since about July 4 undergoing dialysis for kidney damage.

Update: Huntsville, Alabama, E. coli Outbreak

In what is now the largest E. coli outbreak in Alabama in 20 years, 18 people who ate at Little Rosie's restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama, have been confirmed as suffering from E. coli O157:H7 infections, and testing is being conducted to determine whether there are additional victims of the outbreak.

The Huntsville Times reports that two people remain hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, and a third hospitalized E. coli victim's status was not available.

The newest confirmed victims are a 65-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman. Neither got sick enough to need hospital care.

Although state and county health officials point to shredded lettuce as the most likely culprit, Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who specializes in foodborne illness cases, said he suspects that the outbreak ultimately will be tied to ground beef.
 

Huntsville, Alabama, E. coli outbreak traced to lettuce

An E. coli outbreak in Huntsville, Alabama, that has sickened numerous customers of Little Rosie's and has sent at least three people to the hospital with hemolytic uremic syndrome, was caused by contaminated lettuce, according to the Madison County Health Department. The Huntsville Times reports that health officials have not determined when the lettuce became contaminated - if it was before or after it entered the restaurant, but they are looking into the possibility that the lettuce was cross-contaminated before it was served.

Five-year-old Samuel Coggin of Meridianville started dialysis Wednesday morning at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville. Two adults whose names have not been released are also hospitalized with kidney problems: a 48-year-old woman in critical condition at Huntsville Hospital and a 70-year-old woman undergoing dialysis in Asheville, N.C.

Dr. Debra Williams, the Huntsville-Madison County Health Department's assistant director, said 16 people who ate at Little Rosie's Taqueria late last month have now tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 poisoning. A 17th E. coli victim did not eat at the Whitesburg Drive restaurant and was sickened by a different source, she said.

Three more restaurant customers who were hospitalized with symptoms of E. coli exposure have tested negative, Williams said.