Civil Law

APHA involved in 20 E. coli and Cryptosporidium outbreaks

Seven E. coli and 13 Cryptosporidium outbreak investigations in England and Wales required APHA assistance in 2024, according to a recent report.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was part of seven Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) investigations with two each in the first and second quarters of 2024, and three during the third quarter. There were three STEC O26 and two STEC O157 investigations epidemiologically linked to open farms; and two STEC O145 incidents traced to high-risk foods.… Read the rest

Civil Law

Red Cow and Hen House E. coli Outbreak linked to Wolverine Packing

And, undercooked burgers.

Minnesota health officials are urging people to contact their health care provider if they ate a hamburger, especially if undercooked, at a table-service restaurant since Oct. 31 and then developed diarrhea, particularly bloody diarrhea, in the following week.  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has identified at least 10 cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in people who had eaten burgers at multiple locations of Red Cow, a table-service restaurant chain with locations in Hennepin, Ramsey … Read the rest

Civil Law

Marler Clark files multiple Grimmway Carrot E. coli Lawsuits – more coming

As of November 17, 2024, 39 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli have been reported from 18 states according to the CDC: Wyoming 1, Washington 8, Virginia 1, Texas 1, South Carolina 2, Pennsylvania 1, Oregon 3, Ohio 1, North Carolina 1, New York 5, New Jersey 2, Missouri 1, Minnesota 5, Michigan 1, Massachusetts 1, Colorado 1, California 3 and Arkansas 1. Illnesses started on dates ranging from September 6, 2024 to October 28, 2024. Of … Read the rest

Civil Law

E. coli O157:H7 outbreak reported among students and parents in St. Louis County

St. Louis County health officials are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections among students and parents at a local high school.

The sick people from Rockwood Summit High School all attended an off-campus event, according to the St. Louis County Department of Health.

As of Nov. 14, there were 19 patients. Some of the patients have been laboratory confirmed but others are awaiting test results. The health department has not publicly reported what event the sick people attended.… Read the rest

Civil Law

Publisher’s Platform: A Bit(e) of McDonald’s E. coli History

Several years ago, I was giving a talk at the Association of Health Care Journalists’ conference in Boston.  My talk was primarily an overview of where food safety has come since the Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in 1993.  

At one point I introduced an article I found in 1993 at the beginning of the Jack in the Box litigation. The article, “Hemorrhagic colitis associated with a rare Escherichia coli serotype.” New England Journal of Medicine, 1983 Mar 24; … Read the rest

Civil Law

Huntley High School E. coli Outbreak – what you need to know

I have been doing this kind of work for over 30 years and I seldom have seen such a detailed report as this done in any outbreak. Kudos to the folks at McHenry County and others involved in the investigation. Below are the bullet points – full report can be found HERE.

We do represent several of the kids impacted and will determine next steps after a few more reads of the report.

  • The most likely mode of transmission of
… Read the rest
Civil Law

Nearly 200 sick in UK E. coli O157 outbreak

Public health officials in the United Kingdom are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157 that has sickened almost 200 people in a month.

Since early September, 192 genetically linked cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157 have been identified in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The majority of people sick are adults but there have been no deaths linked to the incident.

No source for the rise in infections has yet been identified. 

Dr. Lesley Larkin, head … Read the rest