Source of Fresno E. coli Outbreak: The Grill at Meat Market
According to the Fresno County Department of Community Health, the source of the E. coli outbreak in the Fresno area was cooked meat from "The Grill" at Meat Market in Northwest Fresno. Earlier tests had confirmed that the strain of E. coli responsible for the outbreak was E. coli O157:H7, a dangerous strain that is responsible for most of the E. coli outbreaks in the United States.
Every E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is caused by a genetically-unique E. coli O157:H7 bacterium. When there is an E. coli outbreak, stool samples of victims are collected and tested to determine what strain of E. coli is involved. Additional testing is then done to determine the genetic fingerprint of the bacteria. E. coli cases are considered part of the outbreak if the E. coli that sickened the person has the outbreak's genetic fingerprint.
To determine the source of an outbreak, epidemiologists consider the above evidence, interview witnesses, and review test results done on food samples, etc. In the Fresno outbreak, interviews with victims made it clear from early on that "The Grill" at Meat Market was most likely connected to the outbreak. Testing done on victim's stool samples and leftover meat from The Grill at Meat Market has found the same, genetically-unique E. coli in the stool samples and the meat.
Food vendors are responsible for illness associated with their food. If you were diagnosed with E. coli after eating meat at "The Grill" at Meat Market, contact Pritzker law toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form. Learn more about E. coli at the firm's website.
