CDC Update on the E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Spinach
Information from the CDC:
As of 1 PM (ET) September 19, 2006, Tuesday, 131 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported to CDC from 21 states.
Among the ill persons, 66 (50%) were hospitalized, 20 (15%) developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and an adult in Wisconsin died. Ninety-six (73%) were female and 6 (5%) were children under 5 years old. Among ill persons who provided the date when their illnesses began, 93% became ill between August 19 and September 5.
The states that have reported cases are California (1 case), Connecticut (2), Idaho (5), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Kentucky (6), Maine (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (5), Nevada (2), New York (9), Ohio (15), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (6), Utah (16), Virginia (1), Washington (2), Wisconsin (32), and Wyoming (1).
For more information about the outbreak, about the investigation, and for prevention guidance, see E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak from Fresh Spinach.
CDC Advice for Consumers
The following is advice for consumers about this outbreak:
- Currently, we are advising consumers to not eat any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach that are consumed raw.
- E. coli O157:H7 in spinach can be killed by cooking at 160ｰ Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. (Water boils at 212ｰ Fahrenheit.) If spinach is cooked in a frying pan, and all parts do not reach 160ｰ Fahrenheit, all bacteria may not be killed. If consumers choose to cook the spinach, they should not allow the raw spinach to contaminate other foods and food contact surfaces, and they should wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the spinach.
- Persons who develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach are urged to contact their health care provider and ask that their stool specimen be tested for E. coli O157.
- Persons who ate fresh spinach or salad blends and feel well do not need to see a health-care provider.
Pritzker | Ruohonen is one of the few law firms in the United States that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and has recovered millions for victims of food poisoning. To contact a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, e-mail fhp@pritzkerlaw.com or fill out our online consultation form. All consultations are free, and if you or a family member has an E. coli infection, it may help you to know that an attorney is protecting your rights.
Source: CDC Update on Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections From Fresh Spinach, September 18, 2006, http://www.cdc.gov/print.do?url=http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/current.htm.
