Suffolk County E. coli Cases Identified
Suffolk County Department of Health Services (New York) has identified a cluster of 7 cases of E. coli O157. All of the ill individuals reported consuming ground beef products during the period of June 9th through July 3rd, mostly at neighborhood barbecues. Although all of the ground beef products were purchased locally, health officials are stressing that there has been no specific brand of ground beef identified and no common location where the ground beef was purchased. No cases have been associated with a restaurant or other commercial food establishment. Preliminary findings suggest the E. coli O157 contamination is not specific to Suffolk, but is part of a larger national food supply concern.
To date, the CDC has completed the E. coli O157 DNA fingerprint analysis on four of the seven Suffolk cases, comparing these fingerprints to others in their national database. Two of the Suffolk cases match E. coli cases in Minnesota and California, and one Suffolk case matches an E. coli case in Michigan. The fourth Suffolk case is a newly identified type not seen before in the United States. Because the 7 Suffolk County cases do not involve E. coli with the same DNA fingerprint, the 7 cases are most likely not part of the same E. coli outbreak.
The two cases connected to Minnesota and California cases may be part of a larger outbreak that is unfolding. Health officials are trying to determine if the cases had a common source. Also the New York case linked to Michigan may be part of a separate outbreak.
