November 2004

A rash of children have become sick since early October with an illness that can lead to kidney failure and is usually caused by E. coli infection.
Children’s Hospital has treated seven children since Oct. 8 for hemolytic-uremic syndrome, four of whom have needed dialysis because of kidney problems. Three of the patients have had confirmed E. coli infections, and the bacteria is by far the most likely culprit in the other cases, said Dr. Mark Benfield, a kidney specialist at Children’s.
The hospital usually treats five to 10 cases of HUS a year, Benfield said. Four of the patients are still at Children’s. All seven are expected to make a full recovery, he said.Continue Reading No link found yet in outbreak of illness

Durham County Health Director Brian Letourneau confirmed Tuesday that the 2-year-old Durham child was infected with a virulent strain of the common Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterium. There are various forms of the bacteria, often found in feces and the digestive tracts of mammals, including humans.
State and county health officials, however, are…

The number of E. coli cases under investigation rose to 27 Tuesday, with 18 confirmed, and North Carolina health officials opened a command center in downtown Raleigh to coordinate information as they work to trace the source of the bacterial outbreak, the News Observer reports today.
The strongest lead so far is a petting zoo…

The Associated Press reported today that North Carolina health officials have confirmed that 17 people have been infected with E. coli, a highly contagious bacteria that commonly lives inside of animals. Ten additional cases are suspected, the state Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday. At least 14 of the cases have ties to…

At least 2 suspected E. coli cases are linked to the state fair in Raleigh. State officials Sunday night said they have confirmed seven cases of E. coli in four counties, including two in Mecklenburg, the Charlotte Observer reports.
A spokeswoman said state health officials are investigating last month’s fair in Raleigh as one…

Health officials are currently trying to determine if a petting zoo at the N.C. State Fair is the common link between five children, three of which live in Wake County, who are infected with E.coli.
From a WRAL.com article:

Gibbie Harris, Wake County’s community health director, says it’s not uncommon for animals that have stepped

…

Lee County health officials are warning the public to take necessary precautions after two cases of E. Coli were discovered on the same day. The two cases were found in unrelated individuals – a small child and an adult, both of whom are recovering – whose paths have apparently not crossed in the past 10 days. That has stumped health officials trying to determine the cause of the bacterial disease.
Roy Warren, a county environmental health official, said investigators don’t know if the cases are related. Although this is the first known E. Coli outbreak ever in Sanford or Lee County, Warren said investigators haven’t found any commonalities in the places the two victims ate or even bought groceries.Continue Reading E. coli identified here