14 Now Part of Souplantation E. coli Outbreak
** OUTBREAK UPDATE: Attorney Fred Pritzker is investigating a Shigella outbreak associated with the Souplantation restaurant in Pasadena. Victims of this outbreak ate at the Pasadena Souplantation A new case of E. coli infection has been reported in the Souplantation outbreak in California, bringing the total to 14 cases of infection; 10 children and 4 adults. Health officials have closed the restaurant and continue their search for the source of the outbreak.
Health officials have identified E. coli O157:H7 as the strain of E. coli involved in the outbreak. The O157:H7 strain, known as enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), is one of the more dangerous strains of E. coli, causing abdominal pain and cramps, followed by severe diarrhea, usually unaccompanied by fever. In rare cases, especially in children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, E. coli O157:H7 can cause a complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS occurs in approximately 8% of cases of O157:H7 infections. In cases of HUS, red blood cells are destroyed and kidney failure can result. HUS is the primary cause of acute kidney in children. Of the 110,000 cases of enterohemorrhagic E. coli each year, approximately 61 people die from HUS.
When there is an E. coli outbreak, health officials first determine the strain of E. coli involved in the outbreak by testing the stools of outbreak victims. Further testing is done to determine the unique "genetic fingerprint" of the outbreak E. coli bacteria. In this case, as stated above, the E. coli strain involved is E. coli O157:H7. Further testing has provided the genetic fingerprint of the Souplantation outbreak E. coli O157:H7, which is different from E. coli O157:H7 bacteria involved in other outbreaks. It is this genetically unique E. coli O157:H7 that provides the link between the people who were sickened after eating at Souplantation and the restaurant.
If you have been diagnosed with E. coli poisoning and ate at Souplantation, contact E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker, one of the nation’s leading food poisoning litigators. To contact Pritzker law, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or e-mail Fred Pritzker.
