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79 with E. coli in the US and Canada tied to California Romaine
By Bill Marler on December 6, 2018
The CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, Canada, and the FDA are investigating a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) infections.
As of December 6, 2018, 52 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 15 states. CA (11), CT (1), FL (1), IL (2), LA (1), MA (1), MD (1), MI (7), NH (6), NJ (11), NY (6), OH (1), PA (1), RI (1), WI (1)
Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 5, 2018 to November 18, 2018. Ill people range in age from 1 to 84 years, with a median age of 30. Sixty-nine percent of ill people are female. Of 45 people with information available, 19 (42%) have been hospitalized, including two people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths have been reported.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified 27 ill people infected with the same DNA fingerprint of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in Canada. In Canada, as of December 6, 2018, there have been 27 confirmed cases of E. coli illness investigated in Ontario (4), Quebec (19), New Brunswick (1), and British Columbia (3). The illnesses in British Columbia were related to travel to Quebec, Ontario and the United States. Individuals became sick between mid-October and early November 2018. Nine individuals have been hospitalized, and two individuals suffered from hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a severe complication that can result from an E. coli infection. No deaths have been reported. Individuals who became ill are between 2 and 93 years of age. The majority of cases (52%) are male.
Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates that romaine lettuce from the Central Coastal growing regions of northern and central California is a likely source of this outbreak.
Preliminary traceback information from the FDA indicates that ill people in this outbreak ate romaine lettuce harvested from the Central Coastal growing regions of northern and central California. The specific California counties FDA identified in the traceback investigation are Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura. At this time, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified.
The FDA, along with CDC and state partners, is investigating farms and cooling facilities in California that were identified in traceback. CDC collected samples of water to test for E. coli O157:H7; these test results are pending.
Ill people in this outbreak were infected with E. coli bacteria with the same DNA fingerprint as the E. coli strain isolated from ill people in a 2017 outbreak linked to leafy greens in the United States and to romaine lettuce in Canada. The current outbreak is not related to a spring 2018 multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce.
Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation's leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $650 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John's. We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.
If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you're interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.
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