Muti-state E. coli Outbreak Sickens 60 Including Two Minnesotans

Posted on December 11, 2011 by PritzkerLaw

An E.coli outbreak that was initially thought to be concentrated in the St. Louis area, includes 60 victims from states including two people from Minnesota.

 

The outbreak began in early October with reports of E. coli illnesses associated with eating food from salad bars at various Schnucks grocery stores in the St. Louis area. A team of state and federal health officials, traced the source of the contamination to a single lot of Romaine lettuce grown on a California farm.

The E. coli 0157:H7 strain at the heart of this outbreak caused severe illness and many patients required hospitalization, including one of the Minnesota patients, according to a story in the Star Tribune.

Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea. In severe cases,  hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or TTP HUS, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which can cause kidney failure, stroke, heart attacks, and brain injuries can also develop. Some infections can have long-term effects.

By state, the number of those sickened by the outbreak are as follows: Arizona (1), Arkansas (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (9), Indiana (2), Kansas (3), Kentucky (1), Minnesota (3), Missouri (37), and Nebraska (1).  

Those with legal questions regarding a hospitalization or illness associated with this outbreak should contact the foodborne illness experts at the law firm of PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation. 

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Salmonella Outbreaks and Eggs

Posted on October 21, 2011 by PritzkerLaw

The Minnesota Salmonella outbreak marks the second time in five years that shell eggs have been the source of a Salmonella outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Nearly 2,000 cases of salmonellosis were confirmed during the previous outbreak, which occurred during the summer of 2010. That outbreak was linked to unsanitary conditions on two Iowa farms: Wright County Egg, in Galt, Iowa, and Hillandale Farms of Iowa, Inc..

Salmonellosis, the infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella, causes an estimated 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 400 deaths annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Salmonella can be present on all raw foods including, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nut and legumes. To reduce risk of illness from eggs, the CDC recommends the following measures:

  • Keep eggs refrigerated at or below 40° F (≤4° C) at all times.
  • Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
  • Wash hands and all food contact surface areas (counter tops, utensils, and cutting boards) with soap and water after contact with raw eggs. Then, disinfect the food contact surfaces using a sanitizing agent, such as bleach, following label instructions.
  • Cook eggs until both the white and the yolk are firm, eat them promptly after cooking.
  • Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  • Refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing foods promptly.
  • Don’t eat raw or undercooked eggs.

 

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Minnesota Grocery Stores Pull Recalled Eggs From Shelves

Posted on October 21, 2011 by PritzkerLaw

Lunds, Byerly’s, Whole Foods and The Wedge Coop stores have pulled eggs produced by Larry Schultz Organic Farm of Owatonna from their shelves at all locations following the announcement of a recall due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Organic Egg RecallAt least six people In Minnesota have been diagnosed with salmonellosis, an infection caused by eating food contaminated with Salmonella. Five of them reported eating eggs produced at the Owatonna farm prior to becoming ill. 

Roughly 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But, because many of the milder cases are not reported, the CDC estimates that the actual number of Americans who get sick from Salmonella is probably closer to 1.2 million every year.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. But for those most at risk, including very young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, Salmonella poisoning can be a serious health risk.

Minnesotans who believe they contracted salmonellosis after eating eggs associated with this recall should contact their health care provider. Those with legal questions about an illness associated with this outbreak or recall should contact the nation’s leading foodborne illness lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for a free consultation.

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Campylobacter Lawyer in Minnesota for Hartmann Dairy Lawsuit Involving Campylobacter and Cryptosporidium

Posted on October 28, 2010 by PritzkerLaw

In the video below, Brendan Flaherty, a Campylobacter lawyer in Minnesota, discusses Campylobacter food poisoning and a case our firm is litigating that involves raw milk.  Our client consumed raw milk contaminated with Campylobacter and developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).  Our client remains paralyzed to this day.

Hartmann Dairy Farm Linked to Campylobacter and Criptosporidium Infections

Outbreaks of campylobacteriosis and criptosporidiosis in Minnesota have been linked to raw dairy products from the Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, MN, Sibley County. According to epidemiologists with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), three people are infected with Campylobacter jejuni, the bacterium that causes campylobacteriosis. In addition, four people are infected with Cryptosporidium parvum, a parasite that causes cryptosporidiosis, also known as "Crypto."

Laboratory tests found that the Cryptosporidium parasites and Campylobacter bacteria in most of the ill people were genetically identical to organisms found in animal and environmental samples taken on the Hartmann farm this past summer during an investigation of an E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk from the farm.

“We’re concerned that people are continuing to get sick after consuming products from this farm,” said Kirk Smith, the health department's Foodborne Diseases Unit supervisor. “We’re also concerned that some people who became ill were given the Hartmann dairy product by friends or neighbors who did not tell them the source.”

Our Minnesota personal injury lawyers have a national practice in the area of food poisoning litigation.  To contact Attorney Brendan Flaherty or another attorney at our law firm, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our online form for a free consultation.

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Salmonella enteritidis Sickens Hundreds in California

Posted on August 18, 2010 by PritzkerLaw

Salmonella enteritidis, an egg-associated bacterium, can be undetectable by sight or smell. The Salmonella enteritidis can be present in ordinary-looking eggs. If contaminated eggs are eaten raw, or even undercooked, the bacterium can cause illness.
 

The symptoms of a Salmonella enteritidis bacterium infection are fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. The symptoms usually begin 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or beverage and the illness can last 4 to 7 days. Although most people recover without the use of  antibiotics, if the diarrhea is severe and leads to dehydration hospitalization may be required.

As in most cases of food contamination, the elderly, infants and those with impaired immune systems are the most susceptible to severe illness. In patients with underdeveloped or impaired immune systems, the infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream. Once in the blood stream the Salmonella enteritidis can infect other parts of the body and can be fatal unless treated promptly with antibiotics.

Salmonella enteritidis: Reduce the Risk

Eggs are safe when handled properly.  "Handled properly" has to do mostly with refrigeration and cooking. All shell eggs should be stored in the refrigerator. When consumed, the eggs need to be cooked and eaten right away.

When eggs are kept refrigerated properly, it prevents the Salmonella enteritidis from multiplying. The correct refrigeration temperature for safe storage of eggs is less than 40 degrees.

The fewer number of Salmonella present in the egg, the less likely it is to cause illness. Cooking reduces the number of bacteria present in an egg. That is why it is important to completely cook eggs - runny yolks are not recommended. Throw out any eggs that have been kept at 40-140 degrees for more than 2 hours.

Salmonella enteritidis: Recall on Eggs in California and Many More States

As many as 228 million (228,000,000) shell eggs from Wright County Egg, Galt Iowa, that have been recalled due to possible Salmonella enteritidis contamination. The recalled eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps.

The Wright County Egg  shell eggs were delivered to wholesalers, distribution centers and food service companies in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. California, Colorado, Nevada and Minnesota have Salmonella enteritidis outbreaks that have been confirmed by public health officials.

Contact a Salmonella lawyer at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for a free consultation and for information about a possible Wright County Egg Salmonella class action lawsuit. We are conducting our own investigation into this Salmonella outbreak. Call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the contact form on the side of this web page.
 
PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a premier foodborne illness litigation law firm.  We have collected millions on behalf of our clients infected with Salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7 and other foodborne diseases. Our attorneys have been interviewed by local TV stations, CNN, CBS News, Fox News, Associated Press and others.

States Included in the Recall: California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa

States with Confirmed Outbreaks: California, Colorado, Nevada and Minnesota
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