Roast Beef Associated with 14 cases of E. coli in Sarpy County, Nebraska
Health officials from the Sarpy County Health Department and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services are investigating an E. coli outbreak associated with roast beef eaten at a private event at a Sarpy County reception hall on March 26, 2008. Leftover roast beef from the event tested positive for E. coli. 14 people who attended the event have also tested positive for E. coli. Four people were hospitalized. E. coli infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). For privacy reasons, health officials are not providing information on the medical conditions of those sickened, other than that everyone hospitalized has now been released. We support this decision.
We contacted The Sarpy County Health Department and spoke with Director Dianne Kelly. She stated that health officials are waiting for additional test results to determine if the E. coli serotype involved is O157:H7. DNA testing is also being done, which will provide genetic fingerprints of the E. coli. These genetic fingerprints will be analyzed to determine the connection between the E. coli found in the roast beef and the E. coli that sickened the 14 people.
The roast beef was implicated in this outbreak due to the positive E. coli test and an analysis of lists and charts of what people at the event ate, according to Kelly.
The roast beef was prepared at a person’s home and brought to the Sarpy County event. Health officials are still investigating how the beef got contaminated with E. coli. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is attempting to determine the producer of the beef, an important step towards prevention.
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