Tennesse E. coli Cases Hint at Outbreak
Two children from Tennesse have been treated at Vanderbilt University hospitals in Nashville for serious E. coli infections and the Tennessee Department of Health has been notified of eight E. coli cases statewide so far this year.
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State Health Department spokeswoman Shelley L. Walker told the Marshall County Tribune in Lewisburg, Tennessee, that the office has been notified of two E. coli infections in residents of South Central Tennessee, but it was not immediately clear if the two cases were the children treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
"There is no evidence to suggest at this time that there is an ongoing outbreak in that region,'' Walker told the newspaper.
A pharmacist who asked not to be named was the source of the newspaper's information on the two Tennessee child E. coli cases. The father of one of the children called the newspaper to say his daughter was recovering, but declined to say more. The Marshall County newspaper story said health officials conducted food history interviews to investigate any possible common source of the infections.
The pharmacist said one of the children received kidney dialysis treatment, an indicator that she may have suffered from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially deadly disease caused by powerful Shiga toxins emitted by certain types of E. coli, including E. coli O157:H7.
Children under age 5 are most susceptible to HUS, but it can affect people of any age, including healthy adults. Most people infected with E. coli O157:H7 develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after swallowing the organism, but some illnesses last longer and are more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by stool sample culture.
Signs and symptoms of HUS may include: fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, decreased urination and swelling of the face, hands, feet, or entire body. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care.
To have an E. coli attorney at PritzkerOlsen, P.A., review your case, please submit a contact form or call our office at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). Our investigators are aware of the Tennessee cases and are monitoring reports of a possible outbreak. PritzkerOlsen is a national leader in foodborne illness law and is one of the very few legal groups practicing extensively in this area. Over the years we have won millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning and we are actively involved in efforts to prevent outbreaks and protect families from contamination of our food supply.
