Food Poisoning Law Blog

According to a story from KDKA Channel 2 (Pennsylvania), the Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed that a young child from Mercer County, Pennsylvania, has died from an E. coli infection.  Health officials do not believe the death is related to the Taco Bell E. coli outbreak that sickened hundreds of people in November and early December. 

When a child dies as a result of an E. coli infection, the family should preserve any stool samples and have genetic testing done on them to determine the unique strain of E. coli bacteria responsible for the death.  The E. coli bacteria involved in the Pennsylvania child's death was most likely E. coli O157:H7.  Genetic testing can provide a unique “genetic fingerprint” of the E. coli O157:H7 that killed the child.  This genetic fingerprint may be able to link the child’s E. coli infection to others.  We know of a case where a child died of an E. coli infection (complicated by hemolytic uremic syndrome) at the beginning of an outbreak.  Health officials thought it was an isolated case, did not adequately test stool samples and then disposed of the stool samples.  The family thought that the child’s case was connected to an outbreak but could not prove it.

The testing issues surrounding an E. coli case are complex.  If you have any questions, please call Pritzker | Ruohonen toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 for a free consultation.  If you would prefer, you can e-mail Fred Pritzker or fill out the online-consultation form.