Northeast Tennessee E. coli Outbreak
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.
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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.''
