Costco Cheese E. coli Outbreak From Bravo Farms Gouda
Costco cheese E. coli outbreak news updates from food poisoning attorneys at Pritzker Olsen will be posted throughout the day. Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda cheese, (Costco item40654) has been associated with an E. coli O157:H7, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
According to the CDC:
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention join Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco), in warning consumers not to consume Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda cheese (Costco item 40654), as this cheese may be associated with an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. The cheese was available for sale, and free samples were offered for in-store tasting at Costco stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.”
The number of E. coli food poisoning cases reported across the country so far are as follows: AZ (11), CA (1), CO (8), NM (3) and NV (2). E. coli O157:H7 can lead to a life-threatening complication called E. coli HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome that can lead to kidney failure, other serious personal injury and wrongful death.
Food poisoning lawyers at Pritzker Olsen attorneys hire the best epidemiologists, microbiologists and other experts to win millions of dollars for E. coli food poisoning victims. Contact a Costco E. coli attorney about a Bravo Farms lawsuit from E. coli contaminated Gouda cheese.
Child E. coli HUS case Prompts Look at County Fair
Three children aged 5 through 15 were all sickened by shiga toxin-producing E. coli after attending the Northwestern Michigan County Fair. If the cause of the illnesses came from the fair, officials say the most likely source of transmission was contact with animals that carried the bacteria.
The cluster of E. coli is being investigated by the Michigan state health authority and the Grand Traverse County Health Department. 9 & 10 News reported tonight that one of the children remains hospitalized. Children under 5 are in the age group most susceptible to developing a complication of E. coli infection known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS can keep children hospitalized for lengthy periods with kidney failure and many other impairments caused by the toxin.
Michigan health officials are taking the opportunity of the outbreak to remind families to practice strict hand hygiene at county fairs and other animal exhibits. Cattle and other animals shed E. coli from their feces and it can survive on the hides of cattle and other animals.
Boy’s E. coli Infection Results From Fall in Rodeo Event
A boy who fell from a sheep during a Texas rodeo event contracted E. coli and is now fighting for his life in a hospital.
The 3-year-old boy has been at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin, Texas, for several weeks and is being transferred this week to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston for more specialized care. He has been unconscious.
He has hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening disease that occurs most often in young children who have E. coli O157:H7 infections. The disease attacks a person’s red blood cells, causing kidney failure, stroke, heart problems, brain damage, central nervous system disorder and anemia.
According to newspaper reports, the boy accidentally ingested dirt from the rodeo floor when he was thrown from a sheep during a mutton-busting event. Public health authorities have long recognized the danger of animal-borne pathogens in live animal settings, including petting zoos and livestock shows.
Cattle and other animals harbor E. coli in their intestines and shed it in their feces. Once in hubans, the bacteria emit a powerful toxin that can get into a person’s bloodstream and wreak havoc all over the body.
The boy’s mother told a reporter that Goldthwaite residents have been holding carwashes and other benefits, selling T-shirts and praying for the youngster since learning of his plight.
E. coli is Among the Threats in Salsa, Guacamole
Recent advice from a noted epidemiologist to be wary of food poisoning in salsa and guacamole seems acutely profound in the wake of news in Iowa that an outbreak of Salmonella is tied to salsa, guacamole and tamales made by La Reyna restaurant in Iowa City.
Twenty-five people are sick in the Iowa outbreak, which is connected to sales of the restaurant-made items at farmers’ markets and other locations in eastern Iowa.
Dr. Magdalena Kendall, surveillance epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a recent research project showed that nearly one of every 25 outbreaks associated with restaurants or delis between 1998 and 2008 may have been caused by contaminated salsa or guacamole.
Dr. Kendall said the most common infection was norovirus, followed by Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and other less common germs, which can all cause diarrhea.
E. coli infections can be particulary dangerous because up to 15 percent of cases lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children.
Dr. Kendall’s research found that in 30 percent of the outbreaks, local investigators reported that the salsa or guacamole wasn’t stored or refrigerated properly. In another 20 percent, the investigators reported that food workers were the likely source of the contamination. In some cases, ingredients may have been contaminated before arriving in a kitchen.
Also, salsa and guacamole are often made in large batches at restaurants, so even a small amount of contamination can affect many servings.
Rush County E. coli May Be Associated With Rush County Fair
The Rush County, Indiana, Health Department is investigating an E. coli outbreak that may be associated with the Rush County Fair. Two Rush County children contracted E. coli infections and then developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe illness that causes kidney failure and other serious health problems, including pancreatitis, hypertension, blindness and seizures.
Cow, goat, buffalo and llama feces can be contaminated with E. coli. When young children pet these animals, contaminated manure can get on their hands and then in their mouths.
