Local and state public health officials in Michigan, New York, and Ohio are investigating human illnesses caused by E. coli O145 multi-state outbreak.  The CDC is supporting these investigations and facilitating regular communication and information sharing between the states and with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As of May 5, 2010, a total of 19 confirmed and 10 probable cases related to this outbreak have been reported from 3 states since March 1, 2010.  The number of ill persons identified in each state is: Michigan (10 confirmed and 3 probable), New York (2 confirmed and 5 probable), and Ohio (7 confirmed and 2 probable).

Among the confirmed and probable cases with reported dates available, illnesses began between April 10, 2010 and April 26, 2010.  Infected individuals range in age from 13 years old to 29 years old and the median age is 19 years.  Sixty-nine percent of patients are male.  Among the 29 patients with available information, 12 (41%) were hospitalized.  Three patients have developed a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome, or HUS.  No deaths have been reported.  Of note, it takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks from the time a person becomes ill to the time when the illness is confirmed by laboratory testing and reported.

The bacteria responsible for this outbreak are referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC.  STECs have been associated with human illness, including bloody diarrhea and a potentially fatal kidney condition called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS).  STEC bacteria are grouped by serotypes (e.g., O157 or O145).  The STEC serotype found most commonly in U.S. patients is E. coli O157.  Other E. coli serotypes in the STEC group, including O145, are sometimes called “non-O157 STECs.”  Currently, there are limited public health surveillance data on the occurrence of non-O157 STECs, including E. coli O145, therefore E. coli O145 may go unreported.  Because it is more difficult to identify than E. coli O157, many clinical laboratories do not test for non-O157 STEC infection.

Investigators are using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a type of DNA fingerprint analysis of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness that might be part of this outbreak.  This testing is done in public health laboratories as part of the PulseNet network. Investigators have established a common definition of confirmed and probable cases related to this outbreak.  Investigators have established a common definition of confirmed and probable cases related to this outbreak:

Confirmed cases are persons with:

(1) E. coli O145 infection, or E. coli infection with O Group pending, AND
(2) an illness onset on or after March 1, 2010, AND
(3) a DNA fingerprint matching the outbreak strain; AND
(4) an epidemiologic link to the outbreak.

Probable cases are persons with an epidemiologic link to the outbreak and

(1) E. coli O145 infection with an illness onset on or after March 1, 2010 regardless of DNA fingerprint pattern, AND/OR
(2) hemolytic-uremic syndrome; AND/OR
(3) a laboratory isolate positive for Shiga toxin 2 [stx2] or isolate positive for Shiga toxin, but toxin type is unknown or pending.

Current Status of the E. Coli Investigation – Outbreak Strain of E. coli O145 found in Unopened bag of Freshway Foods Romaine Lettuce

Freshway Foods has issued a recall of all products containing romaine lettuce with a use by date of May 12 or earlier because they may be contaminated with the E. coli O145 bacteria.  The products were sold under the Freshway brand and Imperial Sysco brand.  Freshway Foods is working with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to inform consumers of this recall.  The recall comes after FDA informed Freshway Foods that a previously unopened product sample in a New York state laboratory tested positive for the bacteria.

The recalled romaine lettuce products were sold to wholesalers and food service outlets in Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.  The products were also sold for distribution to in-store salad bars and delis for Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets, and Marsh stores in the states listed.

This investigation is ongoing.  At this time, local, state, and federal health officials are involved in many different types of investigative activities including:

• Conducting surveillance for additional illnesses that could be related to the outbreak.
• Conducting epidemiologic studies that includes gathering detailed information from persons who were ill persons (cases) and from healthy persons (controls) about foods recently eaten and other exposures.
• Gathering and testing food products that are suspected as potential sources of infection to see if they are contaminated with bacteria.
• Following any epidemiologic leads gathered from interviews with patients, food purchase information, or from patterns of processing, production and/or distribution of suspected products.
• FDA is working closely with its state partners in the investigations at the food processor and at the farm level to determine where in the distribution chain the point of contamination likely occurred.

Public health and agriculture officials in Michigan, New York, and Ohio, along with CDC and FDA, are actively engaged in this investigation.  Updates on the progress of this investigation will be shared as information becomes available.

Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms of E. coli Poisoning

Most people infected with E. coli develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (average of 3-4 days) after swallowing the organism, but some illnesses last longer and can be more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by culture of a stool sample.  Many clinical laboratories do not test for non-O157 STEC, such as E. coli O145, because identifying it is more difficult than for E. coli O157. Most people recover within a week, but some develop a severe infection.  A type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can begin as the diarrhea is improving; HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old and the elderly.

How Simon & Luke Can Help

The E. coli lawyers at Simon & Luke have represented over 2000 victims of food poisoning, filing hundreds of lawsuits and recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients.  We are currently investigating this outbreak, and we are happy to answer your questions free of charge.

Just call us toll-free at 1-888-335-4901 – we are here to help.