Food Poisoning Law Blog : Food Poisoning Lawyer & Attorney : PritzkerLaw : Food Safety, Outbreaks & Recalls

North Carolina's E. coli outbreak, which has sickened at least 25 people in seven counties, appears to be associated with attendance at the NC State Fair in Raleigh. State Epidemiologist Megan Davies says Fair attendance is the only identified common link.

Davies is now surveying Fair attendees In order to identify specific activities at the Fair which may have been the source of illness. Her investigators need to interview people who attended the Fair but did not get sick and they will be calling some participants randomly to ask even more questions.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., also is conducting an investigation for the purposes of an NC State Fair lawsuit. Whether children or adults contracted the potentially deadly bacteria from a common food source or from an animal exhibit, victims should be able to pursue fair claims for medical bills, lost time at work, pain and suffering and future harms that could follow them because of their infection.

At least eight children are considered case patients in this outbreak and four of those children were hospitalized for kidney failure or other symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This is a life-threatening complication of E. coli O157:H7 infection that most often affects children under 5 but can even strike healthy adults of any age.

NC State Fair E. coli Investigation 

The N.C. Division of Public Health reports that it is now investigating 25 cases related to the E. coli outbreak.  Eight cases are confirmed E. coli cases; 17 cases are still being investigated.  The latest numbers and counties involved: 

• Wake - 12 
• Sampson - 7 
• Cleveland - 1 
• Durham - 1 
• Johnston - 1 
• Orange - 1 
• Wilson – 2  

Escherichia coli are bacteria found in the feces of animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. Some types of E. coli bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 can cause illness in people who consume water or food that has come in contact with the bacteria or who come in contact with infected animals. If people touch contaminated material, they can transfer the bacteria from their hands to their mouths, or to others.

Free consultations with an E. coli Lawyer

PritzkerOlsen is one of the very few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the complex area of foodborne illness litigation, collecting tens of millions of dollars for victims. Our lawyers currently represent E. coli and HUS survivors in outbreaks confirmed by public health officials and we are now accepting cases from the 2011 NC State Fair. You pay nothing until your case is won, which is part of the professional standard that is common in personal injury law. Call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or send your contact information online and an attorney will call you.

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An antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli is the cause of an outbreak that has stricken at least 22 people in the St. Louis area.There are 16 confirmed cases in St. Louis County, two in Jefferson County, two in St. Charles County, one in St. Louis City and one in St. Clair County. At least six people have been hospitalized.

Missouri health officials have determined that the source is foodborne. A specific source has not been identified, but local salad bars are under investigation. Grocery stores have not been asked to pull items from their shelves, but at least one chain is doing so. Schnucks spokeswoman Lori Willis told Patch that it has pulled some items, including lettuce and strawberries, from its salad bars.

One thing that is known is that the E. coli strain at the heart of the outbreak is virulent and does not respond to antibiotics. Last year, St. Louis County saw a total of five cases of E. coli infection Dr. Delores Gunn, director of the Saint Louis County Department of Health, told St. Louis Public Radio. With this outbreak, she said, there were 16 confirmed cases in less than 72 hours.

Complications of E. coli include hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or TTP HUS, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which can cause kidney failure, stroke, heart attacks, and brain injuries. And even a person with a mild case of E. coli can be at long-term risk for hypertension and kidney problems.

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has assigned an E. coli lawyer to investigate the St. Louis outbreak and the firm is accepting cases for a possible St. Louis E. coli lawsuit. Our legal group currently represents E. coli victims and is one of the very few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. Free case consultations are available at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or submit your contact information online and an attorney will call you.

Sources: http://www.stltoday.com and patch.com.

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An E. coli outbreak in Michigan and a related public health alert are still in effect as state and federal officials continue to investigate the distribution of 2,200 pounds of recalled ground beef from McNees Meats. USDA has linked the hamburger meat to five confirmed E. coli cases and four probable cases.

This outbreak of E. coli O157:NM is especially concerning because two-thirds of the confirmed and probable cases had to be hospitalized. Known case patients range in age from 15 to 88 and live in Michigan counties of Lapeer, Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac. The outbreak started in mid-July.

If you or a member of your family believes they have been sickened by contaminated ground beef as part of this outbreak, immediately contact a physician. If you have questions about a Michigan E. coli lawsuit, contact an E. coli lawyer at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a nationally recognized leader in food poisoning litigation. Our law firm is one of the very few in the country practicing extensively in this area and we have collected tens of millions of dollars for E. coli outbreak victims. Call for a free case consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE)

The Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture and Rural Development are working on the outbreak with local health agencies and USDA to determine how widely the recalled products were distributed. McNees Meats has a retail location in North Branch, Michigan, and some of the ground beef was sold to area restaurants.

Click here for McNees E. coli recall information 

 E. coli is a life-threatening human pathogen that can cause severe, bloody diarrhea. In children, the elderly or people with compromised immune systems, it is especially dangerous. E. coli can lead to more dangerous conditions like thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause permanent kidney damage. Even non-complicated infections of E. coli O157 have been observed to cause long-term health concerns, including vascular injury.  

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Eating ground beef has become a high risk activity, and consumers need to be informed of that risk. In Michigan 9 people have E. coli infections because they ate ground beef processed by McNees Meats and Wholesale LLC, a meat-processing and retail establishment in North Branch, Mich.

Six of the people sickened landed in the hospital. Because most of the people sickened were adults, it is likely that at least one developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and/or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). These severe complications of an E. coli O157 infection cause kidney failure, central nervous system damage (strokes, seizures, paralysis, etc.), pancreatitis and death.

The victims of this outbreak and their families need to know the following:

1. They are not to blame even if the ground beef was cooked at home. McNees is still responsible for the pain and suffering caused by their ground beef.
2. E. coli O157 food poisoning is preventable with good sanitation and product testing.
3. The USDA, which is supposed to police the beef industry, is also supposed to promote the industry--bad idea.
4. You have the right to sue McNees and any other parties that are legally responsible for the E. coli infection and every medical problem resulting from it.
5. You have the right to ask for expected future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and income loss. Our attorneys hire experts to come up with these figures. You can contact Fred Pritzker, lead attorney for our E. coli cases, for a free consultation.
6. Sadly, you are not alone. For support, and you need it, visit Stop Foodborne Illness. This is a nonprofit organization run by families who have gone through what you are going through now.

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Our attorneys are investigating an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Northwest Oregon associated with eating fresh strawberries from Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg, Oregon.  According to the Oregon Department of Public Health, at least 10 people were sickened last month, including one person who died.

Attorney Fred Pritzker recently won over a million dollars for a family whose loved one died in Oregon. "The victims of this outbreak and the family of the person who died deserve compensation," said Pritzker. "Sellers of contaminated products need to be held accountable, even if wild animals were the source of the contamination."

Ten people have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections caused by a single strain. These individuals include residents of Washington, Clatsop, and Multnomah counties. Six other people in northwest Oregon also have recently developed an E. coli O157:H7 infection and appear to be part of this outbreak. Of the confirmed cases, four have been hospitalized, and one elderly woman in Washington County died from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), kidney failure associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection, There were 12 females and four males among the cases, and their ages ranged from 4 to 85. They fell ill between July 10 and July 29.

Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmers’ markets. In response to this outbreak, Jaquith has recalled its products.

None of the following have been implicated in this outbreak:

• Berries other than strawberries;
• Strawberries sold since Aug. 1;
• Strawberries sold south of Benton County or east of Multnomah County;
• Strawberries sold in supermarkets;
• Strawberries picked at Jaquith Strawberry Farm’s U-pick field.

When a potential outbreak is investigated, public health officials ask a slate of questions of those who have been sickened, family members and health care providers. The questions are to find common exposures and “trace back” to the source.

“If someone gets sick, we ask questions about everything from what they’ve eaten, to whether they’ve been to common gatherings, to whether they’ve been swimming in a particular place, and then out of this we try to find commonalities,” he said.“The commonality among these cases has been strawberries at roadside stands and farmers’ markets supplied by this one farm last month.”

While investigating the farm, William Keene, senior epidemiologist with Oregon Public Health, saw dear roaming through the strawberry field. Keene is having deer feces tested for E. coli to determine if deer are the source of the E. coli contamination, Keene told the Oregonian.

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The Northeast Tennessee E. coli outbreak has grown to include an 11th victim as health officials continue to search for the source of the outbreak, the Sullivan County Regional Health Department said in a press release.

The outbreak in eight northeast Tennessee counties may soon include three more cases pending test results. All of those illnesses are in addition to two severe infections to children from Southwest Virginia. Tragically, a 2-year-old girl died and was confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157:H7, possibly from food.

Officials are reminding families in the region that E. coli O157:H7 is found in ground beef and other meat and can survive grilling or cooking if not cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F. Officials have also said some infections can be caused by swimming in contaminated waters and inadvertently swallowing the water. E. coli O157:H7 also can contaminate raw milk, many varieties of fresh produce, shelled nuts, cheese and other food.

National E. coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., are investigating the outbreak and accepting cases from families and individuals who have been afflicted. If you or a loved one has experienced sharp stomach pain and watery or bloody diarrhea as part of a gastrointestinal illness, immediately see a physician. For answers to legal questions, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or send contact information. An E. coli lawyer will call you.

E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of bacteria that produces a toxin that can cause hemorrhagic colitis. This illness can develop into an extremely serious condition known as HUS, or  hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause kidney failure, brain damage, strokes, and seizures in young children and the elderly. E. coli O157:H7 has caused numerous sporadic cases as well as outbreaks of foodborne disease resulting in illnesses and deaths. This pathogen can survive both refrigerator and freezer storage.  

Here is the official notice from Sullivan County, dated June 7:

"To date, 11 cases of E.coli have been reported in our region...one of which is in Sullivan County. The source of the bacteria has not been identified and our staff is working closely with the Northeast Regional Health Office in Johnson City to investigate the source of illness. PLEASE NOTE...The cases in our region ARE NOT related to the outbreak in Germany.''

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E. coli O157:H7 outbreak researchers in Nebraska are continuing their study of cattle fed a percentage of wet distillers' grains -- an ingredient already known to lead to greater prevalance of E. coli O157:H7 in manure.

The USDA studies at the agency's Clay Center animal research station are important because the wet distillers' grains are being used as a relatively inexpensive feed supplement in the beef cattle "finishing phase" -- the last 120 to 140 days before slaughter. The grains are a byproduct of corn ethanol manufacturing.

From a food safety perspective, higher levels of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle manure is problematic. It raises the threat that potentially deadly human pathogens will enter the food supply and make people sick with life-threatening hemoloytic uremic syndrome (HUS).  National E. coli lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., represents victims of E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks and are actively following the study results in hopes that more prevention measures can be developed.

In early experiments with 608 steers, the Clay Center researchers showed that the incidence and prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in manure, and the incidence on hides, was significantly higher for cattle whose corn-based feed included 40 percent wet distrillers' grains than those whose feed did not include them In follow-up studies, the researches want to determine what causes the difference in E. coli levels, and what can be done to reduce them.

 There's a working hypothesis that the fiber component of hay may scrape the 

gut wall, physically removing the organism and contributing to reduced colonization of E. coli in the intestinal tract. In general, research supports that cattle on grain-based diets shed higher 

levels of generic E. coli in their feces than cattle on a high-forage diet.

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The current Japanese beef E. coli outbreak involves E. coli O111, one of six prevalent non-O157:H7 strains of E. coli not routinely screened for in the United States even though they produce the same potentially deadly toxin as E. coli O157:H7, which the U.S. government banned from ground beef in 1994. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that these six non-O157:H7 strains cause approximately 113,000 illnesses and 300 hospitalizations annually in the United States, yet to date there are no policies to control them.

"Japan's nightmare with E. coli O111 should trigger changes in our own country,'' Pritzker said. "We shouldn't have to wait for a similarly sized disaster to strike here. It's another impetus for our government to get moving.'' 

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 In response to an E. coli outbreak centered in Pennsylvania, E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker is calling on the maker of Seltzer’s Lebanon bologna to notify customers who have been sickened about the long-term risks of infection by this pathogen.

Pritzker said in a press release that Palmyra Bologna Company of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, should implement a public awareness campaign to inform victims of E. coli O157:H7 and their loved ones to consult with their physicians about getting the testing and treatment that their good health demands.

“Case patients in this outbreak deserve to understand these risks and obtain the annual assessments suggested by the study authors,’’ Pritzker said. “It is time for the company responsible for this outbreak to take action.”  

 

Attorney Fred Pritzker can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or through his food poisoning contact page regarding this E. coli bologna outbreak. Mr. Pritzker is the founding partner of PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a Minneapolis, MN law firm that represents E. coli victims nationwide. Mr. Pritzker has won millions for food poisoning victims and has appeared on national and local news programs to discuss foodborne illness lawsuits and food safety.

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There could be one more federal update on the Bravo Farms Cheese E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 38 people in Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico and Nevada, but this is what we know so far.

• Opened and unopened packages of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese sold and sampled at Costco stores have tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli 0157:H7 -- a rare strain that has not been seen before by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Bravo Farms of Traver, California, expanded its recall November 23 to include all cheeses after tests also found the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in cheese samples.
• Since mid-October, the number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AZ (19), CA (3), CO (11), NM (3) and NV (2). There have been 15 reported hospitalizations, 1 case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths.  Patients range in age from 1 to 85 years and the median age is 16 years.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen is representing various  victims of this cheese E. coli outbreak and has established a claims center for members of the public to receive free case consultations for litigation purposes. The number to call is 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web site.

Pritzker Olsen has filed a lawsuit through its local counsel in Arizona on behalf of a family of four who contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections after consuming Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese at the Costco store located in Glendale, Arizona, on October 15, 2010. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona against Bravo Farms Cheese, LLC and Costco Wholesale Corporation.

The Costco and Bravo Farms lawsuit alleges that the family suffered gastroenteritis, including severe cramping and diarrhea, from the Gouda cheese, which investigators have linked to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that has sickened at least 33 people in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.

The cheese E. coli lawsuit seeks compensation for the family for medical expenses, travel expenses, wage loss, pain, suffering, emotional distress and other damages.

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Ground beef E. coli testing results this year by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have yielded slightly lower rates of positive E. coli O157:H7 test results and less sampling of ground beef at federal plants, according to federal documents reviewed by Pritzker Olsen, a national E. coli law firm.

By law, E. coli 0157:H7 in ground beef is an adulterant and is capable of causing severe illness and death in those who consume it. FSIS inspectors test for it at federal plants, retail stores and in imports. FSIS data reviewed by Pritzker Olsen shows that fewer samples have been taken at meatpacking facilities this year while more samples have been taken and tested at retail stores.

The latest results are from FSIS routine sampling programs. Information is based upon data in the FSIS electronic data system as of November 28, 2010. 

A year ago by this time, FSIS had tested 11,003 ground beef samples for E. coli 0157:H7 at plants. Thirty-six were positive for a percent positive ratio of .33.  As of November 28 this year, FSIS tested 10,531 ground beef samples for E. coli 0157:H7 at plants. Twenty-nine were positive for a percent positive ratio of .28.

In 2009, through November, FSIS tested 582 raw ground beef samples at retail stores. Two tested positive for a percent positive ratio of .34 percent. This year, inspectors have tested 820 raw beef samples at retail stores, finding zero positive results.

Regarding imports, last year's program through the end of November tested 99 samples for E. coli 0157:H7. Three were positive for a percent positive ratio of 3.03. This year, FSIS tested 29 import ground beef samples through November. One was positive for a percent positive ratio of 3.45.

Below is the complete FSIS data set, which also includes testing for raw ground beef components -- cuts that are typically made into ground beef after they leave the plant:

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E. coli 0157:H7 in Gouda cheese persists beyond the 60-day aging requirement, a study by microbiologists shows. The finding by experts in Vermont is published this month in the Journal of Food Protection and it informs the current Bravo Farms Gouda E. coli outbreak.

This E. coli outbreak has spawned more than one E. coli lawsuit because the contaminated Gouda was sold and sampled at Costco stores in five states: Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico and Nevada. In all, 38 people have been confirmed as victims of the outbreak by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Bravo Farms has recalled all of its cheeses.

The cheese linked to the outbreak is Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda, which was labeled as  being made from raw milk. The Vermont study was conducted to examine the fate of E. coli O157:H7 during the manufacture and aging of Gouda and stirred-curd Cheddar cheeses made from raw milk. Cheeses were manufactured from unpasteurized milk and  experimentally contaminated with one of three strains of E. coli O157:H7.

According to a synopsis of the study, overall, bacterial counts in both cheese types increased almost 10-fold from initial inoculation levels in milk, then dropped significantly over 60 days. But even after 108 days, the E. coli remained detectable in Gouda and Cheddar.  Results were in agreement with previous studies, the authors wrote.

"Our results suggest that the 60-day aging requirement alone is insufficient to completely eliminate levels of viable E. coli O157:H7 in Gouda or stirred-curd Cheddar cheese manufactured from raw milk contaminated with low levels of this pathogen,'' the synopsis of the Vermont study said. The authors are affiliated with the University of Vermont's Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

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Our law firm has filed a lawsuit in Arizona through its local counsel on behalf of a family of four who contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections after consuming Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese at the Costco store located in Glendale, Arizona, on October 15, 2010.  The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona against Bravo Farms Cheese, LLC, a California limited liability corporation, and Costco Wholesale Corporation, a Washington corporation.

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by Attorney Fred Pritzker

Survivors of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning and their families are desperate for information. They want to know what will happen to them in the future as a result of their illness.

A new medical journal article entitled “Long term risk for hypertension, renal impairment, and cardiovascular disease after gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7: a prospective cohort study” (BMJ 2010;341:c6020doi:10.1136/bmj.c6020) addresses those concerns. Sadly, the results of this study are worrisome. 

In 2000 there was a significant E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada. A community well was infected with E. coli O157:H7 and more than 2300 people developed gastrointestinal illness as a result. Although most of those people were not specifically tested for E. coli O157:H7 (because of the rural hospitals were overwhelmed by the number of sick people), it was assumed they were outbreak victims. The study was conducted because of “Concerns about the potential for [long term] progressive subclinical disease” in outbreak case-patients. 

Participants in the study who experienced acute gastroenteritis (defined as a diarrheal illness lasting more than three days, or diarrhea with more than 3 loose stools per day or any amount of blood diarrhea) were:

• 1.3 times more likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure)
• 3.4 times more likely to develop both structural and functional renal (kidney) impairment
• 2.1 times more likely to report a physician diagnosis of a cardiovascular event (i.e. heart attack, stroke or congestive heart failure)

The authors conclude:

Our findings underline the need for following up individual cases of food or water poisoning by E. coli O157:H7 to prevent or reduce silent progressive vascular injury. Hypertension is the most common treatable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and given the silent nature of hypertension and renal impairment, annual blood pressure monitoring and periodic monitoring of renal function may be warranted for individuals who experience acute gastroenteritis after exposure to food or water contaminated with E. coli O157:H7…

This study means that our E. coli O157:H7 clients are entitled to the cost of significant future medical care necessary to recognize and treat the medical problems identified in this article. It also means that E. coli O157:H7 victims need to share this information with their doctors (who might not otherwise be familiar with these findings). 

A free copy of this study may be found here.

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The Costco cheese E. coli outbreak has now sicked 33 people in Arizona, Colorado, southern California, Nevada and New Mexico. The number of ill persons confirmed in each state with this strain is as follows: AZ (15), CA (3), CO (10), NM (3) and NV (2). There have been 15 reported hospitalizations, 1 case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths. 

The CDC said lab testing on two opened packages of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese purchased at Costco from two different case patient’s homes has identified E. coli O157:H7 matching the outbreak strain. There have been three other findings of E. coli 0157:H7 in Costco-sold gouda cheese from Bravo Farms, but more tests are needed to determine if they have the same genetic fingerprint as the outbreak strain. One finding was in a previously unopened sample of  Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese obtained from a Costco store.

Additional investigation is being conducted for a Bravo Farms cheese lawsuit for E. coli and HUS. A major unanswered question is where in the processing or distribution chain did the contamination occur? Almost certainly, raw milk is a leading suspect.

If your or a loved one has been sickened in this outbreak, national food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., has established a claims center to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and additional harms. Call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page for a free case consultation with an E. coli lawyer. Our firm is in contact with victims of this outbreak and is continuing to accept additional cases. We have years of experience representing E. coli victims in outbreaks of foodborne illness and we represent case patients in practically every major outbreak.

E. coli 0157:H7 infections are not to be taken lightly. When ingested by humans, the bacterium releases a powerful toxin that attacks red blood cells, often causing bloody diarrhea and painful cramping as initial symptoms. Many healthy adults withstand infections with no medical assistance, but in 5 to 15 percent of cases the organism causes HUS, the leading cause of kidney failure in children worldwide. HUS and TTP patients (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) also are at risk for brain damage, paralysis, anemia, strokes and heart complications. Children under the age of 5 and older adults are most susceptible to developing HUS TTP, which can have life-long consequences.

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E. coli 0157:H7 has been found in an opened package of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese purchased at Costco by a victim in the five-state Costco Gouda Cheese E. coli outbreak.

Additional testing is ongoing to confirm the result while state and federal health investigators look for additional illnesses that could be related to this outbreak, which so far has sickened 25 people in Arizona, Colorado, California, Nevada and New Mexico. 

This update on the Costco cheese E. coli outbreak was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is investigating where in the distribution chain the point of contamination could have occurred. So far,  there is a preliminary link with one of several cheeses offered for sampling and sale at the Costco “cheese road show” that was held between October 5 and November 1 in the five states where people are sick. "This cheese is Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese (Costco Item 40654), manufactured by Bravo Farms of Traver, California,'' the CDC said.

Members of the public who have experienced symptoms of E. coli infection, including bloody diarrhea and painful stomach cramps, should see a doctor and the results of any positive stool culture will be communicated with health officials. A gouda cheese E. coli outbreak claims center has been established at law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., to provide representation in a Bravo Farms cheese lawsuit. To contact the claims center for a free case consultation from an E. coli lawyer, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this Web page.

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Seven Maryland E. coli 0157:H7 cases are under investigation and a Baltimore television news station reports that a potential association exists with the consumption of unpasteurized Baugher's apple cider.

ABC2 News reports that three of seven cases have resulted in hospitalization and that the cluster of infectious disease is being probed by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

 Baugher's farm and restaurant of Westminster in Carroll County also features a fruit market and bakery. ABC2 News said the orchard has issued a voluntary recall of all its apple cider due to its potential for contaminants. No other Baugher's products are affected, the station said.

Drinking unpasteurized milk, juice or cider is one proven way people sometimes become infected by E. coli 0157:H7, a potentially deadly human pathogen that causes bloody diarrhea and can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failures in children worldwide. 

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The Food and Drug Administration is working with Nestle USA to pinpoint the source of E. coli O157:H7 that has been found once again in Toll House cookie dough.

The company's cookie dough was linked last year to a nationwide E. coli outbreak that sickened 80 people in 31 states, including 35 who were hospitalized and 10 who developed life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen, which practices extensively in the area of HUS E coli litigation, represented victims of the outbreak.

On Monday, Nestle's improved detection system found the pathogen in two product samples before they left the factory in Danville, Virginia, The results were immediately reported to FDA. The plant is shut down for two weeks while Nestle converts to using heat-treated flour that will kill E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter and other harmful foodborne bacteria.

Nestle said there will be no recall of product associated with the latest findings because none of the contaminated dough left the plant

.

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 A cluster of  E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut have been associated with fresh ground beef made in New York and sold in meat cases at Trader Joes, Price Chopper, Shaw's, BJ's, Ford Brothers and Giant stores.

The ground beef E. coli outbreak and recall of 545,699 pounds of Fairbanks Farms ground beef was announced early this morning by the USDA. The potentially contaminated ground beef was sold through retail meat cases under the various stores' labels. To recognize the recalled ground beef, look for the USDA establishment number EST 492 inside the USDA mark of inspection. EST 492 is the plant identifier for Fairbanks Farms.

The packages have sell-by dates ranging from September 19-28 and Oct. 6,7. Consumers also are urged to check their freezers for this product. Freezing temperatures do not kill E. coli O157:H7, a pathogenic bacteria which can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). E. coli HUS is a life-threatening illness that hits hardest against kids under 5 and adults over age 60. It also is dangerous to others with weakened immune systems.

This is the second New England ground beef E. coli outbreak and recall to happen in weeks. The first involved more than 20 Rhode Island Lincoln Middle School sixth graders sickened by hamburgers made in Brockton, Massachusetts, and served at Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working with USDA and state health and agriculture departments to investigate these New England E. coli outbreaks.

Anyone with E. coli symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea, is urged to see a physician. Make sure stool sample tests are taken and any confirmed illness must be reported to public health officials by your doctor. For more legal information about this outbreak, contact national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of food poisoning and we have collected millions for victims.

We currently represent E. coli HUS patients and are accepting cases from the New England E. coli ground beef outbreaks in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Pritzker Olsen attorney David Szerlag is a Rhode Island attorney.

E. coli O157:H7 is banned from ground beef in the United States. Because it is an adulterant, liability for illnesses caused by it do not stop with the manufacturer. To receive a free case consultation, call us or contact us online by completing a contact and information form. 

Prevention of foodborne illness is an important part of our mission at Pritzker Olsen. Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen spent parts of this year giving seminars at industry food safety conventions to discuss the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in our food supply and what companies should do to prevent it.

For the complete list of recalled ground beef, click here and scroll to bottom.

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