According to press reports, Eighteen year old Robert Ormsby Jr. has been in ICU at the Buffalo Veterans Administration for nearly one week. The Tonawanda resident is being treated for severe complications from E. coli O121 contamination.

Of the 24 people known to have been sickened in the multistate E. coli O121 outbreak linked to frozen snacks, 7 were hospitalized and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of E. coli infection marked by kidney failure, health authorities announced today.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service released more information about its outbreak investigation Thursday evening, a few hours after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published its own outbreak update in the form of an expanded recall of foods from Rich Products Corporation – the company whose frozen snacks have been linked to the E. coli outbreak.

The company is now recalling all products made at its Waycross, Georgia facility with an expiration date of January 1, 2013 through September 29, 2014.

With this new expansion, the total amount of food recalled in connection with this outbreak reaches over 10.5 million pounds, reported FSIS.

According to the agency, samples taken from two Rich Corporation foods have tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli. These include the company’s frozen mini quesadilla and leftover Farm Rich mini pepperoni slices collected from the home of one of the outbreak victims.

Ten patients in Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia recall eating Farm Rich products in the weeks leading up to their illnesses, according to FSIS.

For a full list of retailers that sell Rich Corp. products subject to the recall, go here.

E. coli O121 is one of the six newly emerging pathogenic strains of E. coli, or the “big six,” that were declared adulterants in meat and poultry by FSIS in June of 2012. Before that time, only E. coli O157:H7 was considered illegal in these products.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

  • 9 Sick
  • 3 Adults
  • 6 Children
  • 3 with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Investigators with the Hawaii Department of Health are looking into at least nine people have now become ill from E. coli O157:H7.  The confirmed cases consist of three adults and six children. All of them live on Oahu except for a Canadian visitor who spent time on Oahu, but was later diagnosed on the Big Island. Officials are having trouble pinpointing the source of the infections.

Oahu healthcare providers recently received a letter from health officials warning them to be on the lookout for E. coli O157:H7. Around the same time, Dr. James Ireland saw a 67-year-old patient with symptoms like severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps.  Ireland said the man is now recovering after being hospitalized. There have been a total of 11 cases so far this year, including two unrelated to the current cluster. There were 20 last year, 9 the previous year, and 29 in 2010.

According to the state, three of the children in this latest group developed a life-threatening complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.

  • 15 States – Most ill in New York and Texas
  • 24 Sickened by E. coli O121
  • 78% – Under 21
  • 63% – Female
  • Youngest – 2 years
  • Hospitalized – 7 (33%)
  • Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome – 1
  • No Deaths

A total of 24 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Michigan (2), Mississippi (1), New York (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 9, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Seventy-eight percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty-three percent of ill persons are female. Among 21 persons with available information, 7 (33%) reported being hospitalized. One ill person developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies indicate that Farm Rich brand frozen food products are one likely source of this outbreak of E. coli O121 infections.  The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

Rich Products Corporation, a Buffalo, NY firm, is recalling approximately 196,222 pounds of frozen chicken quesadilla and various other heat treated, not fully cooked frozen mini meals and snack items because they may be contaminated with E. coli O121, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.  The following products are subject to FSIS and FDA recall:

  • 7.2-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mini pizza slices with cheese pepperoni and sauce in pizza dough, UPC code 041322376909 with a best by date of May 15 or May 16, 2014.
  • 22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mini pizza slices with cheese pepperoni and sauce in pizza dough, UPC code 041322356437 with a best by date of May 15 or May 16, 2014.
  • 18-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini quesadillas with cheese, grilled white meat chicken in a crispy crust, UPC code 041322356352 with a best by date of May 14, 2014.
  • 21-oz. bags of Farm Rich philly cheese steaks with cheese, beef & onions in a crispy crust, UPC code 041322356345 with a best by date of May 13, 2014.
  • 22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 041322374431 with a best by date of May 19, 2014.
  • 7-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 041322376916 with a best by date of May 19, 2014.
  • 22-oz. bags of Market Day Mozzarella Bites, UPC code 041322804358 with a best by date of May 12, 2014.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified of a multistate investigation of E. coli O121 illnesses on March 19, 2013. Food samples were collected from an ill individual in New York as part of this investigation, and tested by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory. At present, the cluster includes 24 cases in 15 states. A sample of a Farm Rich frozen chicken mini quesadilla product from a New York case tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli O121. Eight cases in Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia report consuming Farm Rich products. FSIS is continuing to work with federal and state public health partners on this investigation, including the New York State Department of Health, New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. (asx:BNC), a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has received a contribution of up to 500,000 from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) for the Company’s research and development of a second generation E. coli O157 cattle vaccine. IRAP’s support will offset salary costs and contractor fees associated with the project for the next three years.

“We are pleased to receive this funding from IRAP,” said Mr. Rick Culbert, President, Bioniche One Health. “We have been working with Dr. Brett Finlay at the University of British Columbia on the development of a second generation E. coli O157 cattle vaccine, which is expected to be safer to make, more readily produced with higher yields than the first generation vaccine, and may have the potential to cross-protect against other E. coli serotypes.”

While development of the second generation vaccine continues in coming years, the Company’s first generation E. coli O157 cattle vaccine – Econiche – is fully registered in Canada and is available through Canadian veterinarians. In Australia, although not yet registered, the vaccine is approved for importation. In the UK, the product has received Special Treatment Certificate authorization, allowing veterinary surgeons to use the vaccine on visitor open farms.

Human illnesses stemming from E. coli O157 have been linked to beef products (particularly ground beef), vegetables, fruit, juice, water, and contact with animals at petting zoos, farms, and fairs. Approximately two-thirds of all illnesses are associated with contaminated produce and water or direct contact, while one-third are associated with contaminated beef. When humans are infected with E. coli O157, symptoms begin within 3-10 days. These can range from diarrhea and fever to severe bloody diarrhea to Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and death. Long-term studies following patients infected with E. coli O157 have documented secondary illnesses due to hypertension, cardiovascular and kidney disease as well as arthritis.

Approximately 100,000 cases of human infection with E. coli O157 are reported each year in North America. More than 20,000 of these cases are seen in Canada, where the cost of primary and long-term illnesses has been estimated at 240 million per year.

“There is compelling evidence to show that immunization of cattle against E. coli O157 will reduce the shedding of this deadly pathogen, and several modeling studies have been done to demonstrate that human illness would be reduced as a result of this reduction in shedding,” added Mr. Culbert. “Since E. coli O157 does not make cattle ill, the rationale for cattle vaccination is to reduce the amount of E. coli O157 being shed into food, water, and the environment and, in turn, to reduce exposure by people.”

The Company will also explore the ability of the second generation vaccine to cross-protect against other E. coli serotypes. Although E. coli O157 is the most common serotype causing human infection in North America, other serotypes, including O26, O111, O103, O121, O45 and O145, have been identified in other jurisdictions.

Both Econiche and the second generation E. coli O157 vaccine will be produced in the Company’s Animal Health and Food Safety Vaccine Manufacturing Centre in Belleville, which is currently undergoing validation to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards for global production. GMP validation is now expected to be completed by summer, 2013.

King County Public Health agency shut down an Ethiopian restaurant in Seattle’s central district on Wednesday afternoon after connecting the establishment to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7, health agency spokeswoman Kathryn Ross has confirmed to Food Safety News.

At least two people have fallen ill in the outbreak, and Ross said the likelihood of others being sickened is uncertain.

In its closure notification, the agency cited Ambassel Ehtiopian Cuisine & Bar with five safety violations, including the outbreak.

Other violations included foods not being protected from cross-contamination, improperly sanitized equipment, and poor personal hygiene among employees due to inadequate handwashing facilities.

Ross said that the specific cause of the outbreak was not yet known, and the agency would have more information soon on when or whether the restaurant will reopen.

E. coli:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

There are now eight confirmed cases of people getting sick from E. coli after eating beef linked to recalls of frozen burgers.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says the latest case is a person from Saskatchewan.

The agency says this case is linked to recalled Gourmet Meat Shoppe Big and Juicy frozen beef burgers.

Saskatchewan health officials says someone got sick in the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, but is recovering.

The agency says the confirmed cases include four people in Ontario, two in Alberta, one in Manitoba and one in Saskatchewan.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled the burgers distributed in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories on Feb. 19.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada Safeway Limited are warning the public not to consume The Gourmet Meat Shoppe and The Butcher’s Cut brands of Frozen Beef Burgers described below because these products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.

The following products are affected by this Alert:

Brand

Product

Size

UPC

Code

The Gourmet

 Meat Shoppe Big & Juicy Burger 1.13 kg 0 58200 10650 3 BEST BEFORE
2013 AU 14 EST 752

The Gourmet

 Meat Shoppe Prime Rib Burger 907 g 0 58200 10733 3 BEST BEFORE
2013 AU 14 EST 752

The Butcher’s Cut

 Pure Beef Patties
10 Patties		 1.13 kg 0 58200 21604 2 BEST BEFORE
2013 AU 14 EST 752

The Butcher’s Cut

 Pure Beef Patties
20 Patties		 2.27 kg 0 58200 21592 2 BEST BEFORE
2013 AU 14 EST 752

The Butcher’s Cut

 Pure Beef Patties
40 Patties		 4.45 kg 0 58200 21594 6 BEST BEFORE
2013 AU 14 EST 752

These products have been distributed in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Northwest Territories. Canada Safeway Limited, Calgary, Alberta, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

This recall is the result of E. coli O157:H7 product testing by the CFIA related to an ongoing outbreak investigation. The CFIA is currently conducting a food safety investigation at the producing facility to determine if any additional products may be affected.

In total, 30 cases of illness were reported in the Maritimes and Ontario as part of this outbreak. The last reported case became ill on January 9, 2013; no new cases of illness have been reported since.

The investigation indicated that the most probable cause of the E. coli O157:H7 illnesses was shredded lettuce distributed by FreshPoint Inc. primarily to some KFC and KFC-Taco Bell restaurants.

Lettuce has a short shelf life, therefore contaminated products are unlikely to still be available and the risk to the Canadians remains low.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) worked with FreshPoint Inc. to recall any affected products.

The Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with provincial/territorial partners, will continue to monitor for and investigate any new cases of E.coli that may be related to this outbreak as part of its routine surveillance activities.