Update: 95 Now Reported Ill With Salmonella Following NC Church Barbecue

By News Desk | September 25, 2013

The tally of Salmonella victims has now hit 95 following a fundraising barbecue held Sept. 7 at a church in Shelby, NC.

News reports on Tuesday stated that there were now 44 cases in Cleveland County, 47 in Rutherford County and four in other North Carolina counties. Another Salmonella case was reported in South Carolina.

Pastor Garin Hill of the Sandy Plains Baptist Church was quoted as saying that as many as 5,000 people come to the annual event for barbecued pork and chicken, and that such an outbreak has never happened before.

Salmonella infection is usually caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps and usually last between four to seven days.

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Tags: North Carolina, Salmonella, Sandy Plains Baptist Church

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May 30, 2013 [Final Update]: Multistate Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 Infections Linked to Farm Rich Brand Frozen Food Products

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli Web Page.

CDC collaborated with public health officials in several states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections linked to Farm Rich brand frozen food products produced by Rich Products Corporation of Buffalo, New York.

Public health investigators used DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to identify cases of illness that were part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 were reported from 19 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state was as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Illness onset dates ranged from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons were female. Among 29 persons for whom information was available, 9 (31%) were hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

This outbreak appears to be over. However, many of these products have a long shelf-life, and they may still be in peoples’ freezers. Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat these products and potentially get sick.

E. coli is an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli and steps people can take to reduce their risk for infection can be found on the CDC E. coli homepage.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies linked this outbreak to Farm Rich brand frozen food products.

State and federal public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Thirteen (68%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products.

The outbreak strain of STEC O121 was identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons in New York and Texas.

On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation recalled all of its Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between June 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.

USDA-FSIS and FDA investigated suppliers of the common ingredients in the various types of Farm Rich brand frozen products consumed by ill persons, but the source of contamination was not identified. Rich Products Corporation is not currently producing products at its Waycross, Georgia plant, while the company continues to work with USDA-FSIS to develop a plan to make food safety improvements.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 were reported from 19 states. There were no new illnesses reported since the last update.

Illness onset dates ranged from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons were female. Among 29 persons for whom information was available, 9 (31%) were hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 19 states. Three additional ill persons have been reported from Missouri (1) and Ohio (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons are female. Among 29 persons with available information, 9 (31%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after April 10, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Twelve (63%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

A total of 32 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 18 states. Five additional ill persons have been reported from California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), and Ohio (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 2, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 26 persons with available information, 9 (35%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after March 30, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

A total of 27 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 15 states. Three new cases have been reported from Illinois (1), Michigan (1) and New York (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 18, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 23 persons with available information, 8 (35%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after March 10, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Twenty (100%) of 20 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Ten (63%) of 16 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

Testing conducted by the Outbreaks Section of the USDA-FSIS Eastern Laboratory identified the outbreak strain of STEC O121 from individually wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home in Texas. The frozen mini pizza slices were included in the products that were recalled on March 28, 2013.

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CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that could be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak is among those referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC. Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. STEC bacteria are divided into serogroups (e.g., O157 or O121). E. coli O157 is the STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O121, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Because clinical laboratories typically cannot directly identify non-O157 STEC serogroups, they must first test stool samples for the presence of Shiga toxins.  Then, the positive samples must be sent to public health laboratories to look for non-O157 STEC. In recent years, the number of clinical laboratories that test for Shiga toxin has increased greatly, but some laboratories still do not perform these tests. Because of these complexities, many non-O157 STEC infections are probably not identified. The STEC O121 PFGE pattern in this outbreak is rare. In the past it has been seen less than 30 times in PulseNet.

A total of 24 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Michigan (2), Mississippi (1), New York (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 9, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Seventy-eight percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty-three percent of ill persons are female. Among 21 persons with available information, 7 (33%) reported being hospitalized. One ill person developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day or week. This chart is called an epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after March 1, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks. For more details, please see Timeline for Reporting E. coli Cases.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies indicate that Farm Rich brand frozen food products are one likely source of this outbreak of STEC O121 infections.

In interviews, ill persons answered questions about food consumed and other exposures during the week before becoming ill. Eighteen (100%) of 18 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Eight (57%) of 14 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview ill persons about foods eaten before becoming ill. FSIS and FDA are continuing to work closely with CDC and state partners during this investigation.

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March 23, 2012 [FINAL Update]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce

NOTICE: The information on this page is no longer being updated and may have changed. The information is accurate only as of the last page update.

March 23, 2012 (FINAL Update)

As of March 21, 2012, 58 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli serotype O157:H7 were reported from 9 states.Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicated that romaine lettuce was the likely source of illnesses in this outbreak, and contamination likely occurred before the product reached retail stores.This particular outbreak appears to be over and consumers are not being advised to avoid eating any specific foods at this time. However, E. coli O157:H7 is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli O157:H7, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli O157:H7 Web Page and the CDC Vital Signs Web Page.

CDC collaborated with public health and agriculture officials in Missouri, other states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce. Public health investigators used DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

As of March 21, 2012, 58 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 9 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state was as follows: Arizona (1), Arkansas (2), Illinois (9), Indiana (2), Kansas (2), Kentucky (1), Minnesota (2), Missouri (38), and Nebraska (1). Two cases were removed from the case count because advanced molecular testing determined that they were not related to this outbreak strain. Among persons for whom information was available, illnesses began from October 9, 2011 to November 7, 2011. Ill persons ranged in age from 1 to 94 years, with a median age of 28 years. Fifty-nine percent were female. Among the 49 ill persons with available information, 33 (67%) were hospitalized, and 3 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths were reported.

The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day. This chart is called an epidemic curve or epi curve. Please see the Timeline for Reporting of E. coli Cases for more details.

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli O157:H7 is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli O157:H7, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli O157:H7 Web Page and the CDC Vital Signs Web Page.

Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicated that romaine lettuce sold primarily at several locations of a single grocery store chain (Chain A) was the likely source of illnesses in this outbreak. Contamination likely occurred before the product reached grocery store Chain A locations.

During October 10 to November 4, 2011, public health officials in several states and CDC conducted an epidemiologic study by comparing foods eaten by 22 ill and 82 well persons, including 45 well persons who shopped at grocery store Chain A during the week of October 17, 2011. Analysis of this study indicated that eating romaine lettuce was associated with illness. Ill persons (85%) were significantly more likely than well persons (46%) to report eating romaine lettuce in the week before illness. Ill persons (86%) were also significantly more likely than well persons (55%) to report shopping at grocery store Chain A. Among ill and well persons who shopped at grocery store Chain A, ill persons (89%) were significantly more likely than well persons (9%) to report eating a salad from the salad bar at grocery store Chain A. Several different types of lettuce were offered on the salad bar at grocery store Chain A. Of 18 ill persons who reported the type of lettuce eaten, 94% reported eating romaine lettuce. No other type of lettuce or other item offered on the salad bar was reported to be eaten by more than 55% of ill persons.

Ill persons reported purchasing salads from salad bars at grocery store Chain A between October 5 and October 24, 2011. A total of 9 locations of grocery store Chain A were identified where more than one ill person reported purchasing a salad from the salad bar in the week before becoming ill. This included 2 separate locations where 4 ill persons reported purchasing a salad at each location. For locations where more than one ill person reported purchasing a salad from the salad bar and the date of purchase was known, dates of purchase were all within 4 days of other ill persons purchasing a salad at that same location. Chain A fully cooperated with the investigation and voluntarily removed suspected food items from the salad bar on October 26, 2011, out of an abundance of caution. Romaine lettuce served on salad bars at all locations of grocery store Chain A had come from a single lettuce processing facility via a single distributor. This indicates that contamination of romaine lettuce likely occurred before the product reached grocery store Chain A locations.

The FDA and several state agencies conducted traceback investigations for romaine lettuce to try to identify the source of contamination. Traceback investigations focused on ill persons who had eaten at salad bars at several locations of grocery store Chain A and ill persons at university campuses in Minnesota (1 ill person) and Missouri (2 ill persons). Traceback analysis determined that a single common lot of romaine lettuce harvested from Farm A was used to supply the grocery store Chain A locations as well as the university campus in Minnesota during the time of the illnesses. This lot was also provided to a distributor that supplied lettuce to the university campus in Missouri, but records were not sufficient to determine if this lot was sent to this university campus. Preliminary findings of investigation at Farm A did not identify the source of the contamination. Farm A was no longer in production during the time of the investigation.

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. While most people recover within a week, some develop a severe infection. A type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can begin as the diarrhea is improving; this condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old and the elderly. 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 and believe they are at risk for HUS should seek emergency medical care immediately.

Since this particular outbreak appears to be over, consumers are not being advised to avoid eating any specific foods at this time. Consumers should always practice safe food handling and preparation measures.* At home, keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from produce and ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling food.

CDC leads federal efforts to gather data on foodborne illnesses, investigate foodborne illnesses and outbreaks, and monitor the effectiveness of prevention and control efforts. CDC is not a food safety regulatory agency but works closely with the food safety regulatory agencies, in particular, with the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. CDC also plays a key role in building state and local health department epidemiology, laboratory, and environmental health capacity to support foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response. Notably, CDC data can be used to help document the effectiveness of regulatory interventions.

NOTICE: The information on this page is no longer being updated and may have changed. The information is accurate only as of the last page update.

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July 20, 2012 (Final Update): Multistate Outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli O145 Infections

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli Web Page.

CDC collaborated with public health officials in 9 states to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O145 infections. Public health investigators used DNA “fingerprints” of STEC bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may have been part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

A total of 18 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 were reported from 9 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state with the outbreak strain was as follows: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Maryland (1), Tennessee (1), and Virginia (1).

Among 18 persons for whom information was available, illness onsets ranged from April 15, 2012 to June 12, 2012. Ill persons ranged in age from 1 to 79 years, and the median age was 33 years. Seventy-eight percent of patients were female. Four patients were hospitalized. One death was reported in Louisiana.

CDC initiated an investigation into this outbreak of illnesses on May 14, 2012 when six ill persons had been reported to CDC PulseNet from two states. CDC and state public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Based on interviews of 15 ill persons, a source for these infections was not identified.

A total of 18 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 were identified in 9 states: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Maryland (1), Tennessee (1), and Virginia (1). Since the last update 3 new ill persons were identified in 3 states: Kentucky (1), Maryland (1), and Virginia (1).

Among persons for whom information was available, illness onset dates ranged from April 15, 2012 to June 12, 2012. Ill persons ranged in age from 1 year to 79 years, with a median age of 33 years; 78% were female. Four ill persons were hospitalized. One death was reported in Louisiana.

CDC and state public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Based on interviews of 15 ill persons, a source for these infections was not identified.

A total of 15 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 infection have been identified in 6 states: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Louisiana (5), and Tennessee (1). Since the last update one new ill person has been identified in Louisiana with a reported illness onset of April 21, 2012. This is during the same time period as other ill persons in this outbreak.

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from April 15, 2012 to May 12, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 1 year to 79 years old, with a median age of 31 years old; 73% are female. Four ill persons have been hospitalized. One death has been reported in Louisiana.

Illnesses that occurred after May 5, 2012 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

It has been approximately 6 weeks since the last illness onset among reported cases.  Although this indicates that the outbreak could be over, CDC continues to work with state public health officials to identify additional cases and the source of these STEC O145 infections.

State public health officials have been interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.  Based on interviews of 12 ill persons to date, a source for these infections has not been identified.

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O145 (STEC O145) infections. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak is among those referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC.  STEC bacteria are grouped by serogroups (e.g., O157 or O145). The STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients is E. coli O157. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O145, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which is a type of kidney failure.  Currently, there are limited public health surveillance data on the occurrence of non-O157 STECs, including STEC O145; many STEC O145 infections may go undiagnosed or unreported. Compared with STEC O157 infections, identification of non-O157 STEC infections is more complex.  First, clinical laboratories must test stool samples for the presence of Shiga toxins. Then, the positive samples must be sent to public health laboratories to look for non-O157 STEC. Clinical laboratories typically cannot identify non-O157 STEC.  The STEC O145 PFGE pattern in this outbreak has not been seen in PulseNet before.

CDC initiated an investigation into this cluster of illnesses on May 14, 2012.  At that time, six ill persons had been reported to CDC PulseNet from two states during May 3, 2012 to May 9, 2012. Although the most recent report of an illness to CDC was on June 4, 2012, their onset of illness occurred before May 10, 2012  and was during same period as other ill persons in this outbreak.

A total of 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 infection have been identified in 6 states: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Louisiana (4), and Tennessee (1).  Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from April 15, 2012 to May 12, 2012. The time from the beginning of a patient's illness to the confirmation that he or she was part of an outbreak is typically about 2-3 weeks. Please see the E. coli Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases for more details.  Ill persons range in age from 1 year to 79 years old, with a median age of 33 years old; 79% are female. Three ill persons have been hospitalized; one death has been reported in Louisiana.

It has been approximately 4 weeks since the last illness onset among reported cases.  Although this indicates that the outbreak could be over, CDC continues to work with state public health officials to identify additional cases and the source of these STEC O145 infections.

State public health officials have been interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.  Based on interviews of 10 ill persons to date, a source for these infections has not been identified.

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April 26, 2013 [Investigative Update]: Multistate Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 Infections Linked to Farm Rich Brand Frozen Food Products

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli Web Page.

CDC collaborated with public health officials in several states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections linked to Farm Rich brand frozen food products produced by Rich Products Corporation of Buffalo, New York.

Public health investigators used DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to identify cases of illness that were part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 were reported from 19 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state was as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Illness onset dates ranged from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons were female. Among 29 persons for whom information was available, 9 (31%) were hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

This outbreak appears to be over. However, many of these products have a long shelf-life, and they may still be in peoples’ freezers. Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat these products and potentially get sick.

E. coli is an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli and steps people can take to reduce their risk for infection can be found on the CDC E. coli homepage.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies linked this outbreak to Farm Rich brand frozen food products.

State and federal public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Thirteen (68%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products.

The outbreak strain of STEC O121 was identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons in New York and Texas.

On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation recalled all of its Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between June 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.

USDA-FSIS and FDA investigated suppliers of the common ingredients in the various types of Farm Rich brand frozen products consumed by ill persons, but the source of contamination was not identified. Rich Products Corporation is not currently producing products at its Waycross, Georgia plant, while the company continues to work with USDA-FSIS to develop a plan to make food safety improvements.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 were reported from 19 states. There were no new illnesses reported since the last update.

Illness onset dates ranged from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons were female. Among 29 persons for whom information was available, 9 (31%) were hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 19 states. Three additional ill persons have been reported from Missouri (1) and Ohio (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons are female. Among 29 persons with available information, 9 (31%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after April 10, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Twelve (63%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

A total of 32 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 18 states. Five additional ill persons have been reported from California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), and Ohio (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 2, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 26 persons with available information, 9 (35%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after March 30, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

A total of 27 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 15 states. Three new cases have been reported from Illinois (1), Michigan (1) and New York (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 18, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 23 persons with available information, 8 (35%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after March 10, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Twenty (100%) of 20 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Ten (63%) of 16 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

Testing conducted by the Outbreaks Section of the USDA-FSIS Eastern Laboratory identified the outbreak strain of STEC O121 from individually wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home in Texas. The frozen mini pizza slices were included in the products that were recalled on March 28, 2013.

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CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that could be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak is among those referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC. Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. STEC bacteria are divided into serogroups (e.g., O157 or O121). E. coli O157 is the STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O121, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Because clinical laboratories typically cannot directly identify non-O157 STEC serogroups, they must first test stool samples for the presence of Shiga toxins.  Then, the positive samples must be sent to public health laboratories to look for non-O157 STEC. In recent years, the number of clinical laboratories that test for Shiga toxin has increased greatly, but some laboratories still do not perform these tests. Because of these complexities, many non-O157 STEC infections are probably not identified. The STEC O121 PFGE pattern in this outbreak is rare. In the past it has been seen less than 30 times in PulseNet.

A total of 24 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Michigan (2), Mississippi (1), New York (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 9, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Seventy-eight percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty-three percent of ill persons are female. Among 21 persons with available information, 7 (33%) reported being hospitalized. One ill person developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day or week. This chart is called an epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after March 1, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks. For more details, please see Timeline for Reporting E. coli Cases.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies indicate that Farm Rich brand frozen food products are one likely source of this outbreak of STEC O121 infections.

In interviews, ill persons answered questions about food consumed and other exposures during the week before becoming ill. Eighteen (100%) of 18 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Eight (57%) of 14 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview ill persons about foods eaten before becoming ill. FSIS and FDA are continuing to work closely with CDC and state partners during this investigation.

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May 10, 2013 [Investigative Update]: Multistate Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 Infections Linked to Farm Rich Brand Frozen Food Products

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli Web Page.

CDC collaborated with public health officials in several states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections linked to Farm Rich brand frozen food products produced by Rich Products Corporation of Buffalo, New York.

Public health investigators used DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to identify cases of illness that were part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 were reported from 19 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state was as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Illness onset dates ranged from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons were female. Among 29 persons for whom information was available, 9 (31%) were hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

This outbreak appears to be over. However, many of these products have a long shelf-life, and they may still be in peoples’ freezers. Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat these products and potentially get sick.

E. coli is an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli and steps people can take to reduce their risk for infection can be found on the CDC E. coli homepage.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies linked this outbreak to Farm Rich brand frozen food products.

State and federal public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Thirteen (68%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products.

The outbreak strain of STEC O121 was identified in two different Farm Rich brand frozen products collected from the homes of two ill persons in New York and Texas.

On April 4, 2013, Rich Products Corporation recalled all of its Farm Rich, Market Day, and Schwan’s brand frozen food products produced at its Waycross, Georgia plant between June 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 due to possible contamination with E. coli O121.

USDA-FSIS and FDA investigated suppliers of the common ingredients in the various types of Farm Rich brand frozen products consumed by ill persons, but the source of contamination was not identified. Rich Products Corporation is not currently producing products at its Waycross, Georgia plant, while the company continues to work with USDA-FSIS to develop a plan to make food safety improvements.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 were reported from 19 states. There were no new illnesses reported since the last update.

Illness onset dates ranged from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons ranged in age from less than 1 year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons were female. Among 29 persons for whom information was available, 9 (31%) were hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

A total of 35 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 19 states. Three additional ill persons have been reported from Missouri (1) and Ohio (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 15, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-two percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty percent of ill persons are female. Among 29 persons with available information, 9 (31%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after April 10, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Twelve (63%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

A total of 32 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 18 states. Five additional ill persons have been reported from California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), and Ohio (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to April 2, 2013. Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 26 persons with available information, 9 (35%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after March 30, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

A total of 27 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 15 states. Three new cases have been reported from Illinois (1), Michigan (1) and New York (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 18, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 23 persons with available information, 8 (35%) reported being hospitalized. Two ill people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after March 10, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Twenty (100%) of 20 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Ten (63%) of 16 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

Testing conducted by the Outbreaks Section of the USDA-FSIS Eastern Laboratory identified the outbreak strain of STEC O121 from individually wrapped Farm Rich brand frozen mini pizza slices from an opened package collected from an ill person’s home in Texas. The frozen mini pizza slices were included in the products that were recalled on March 28, 2013.

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CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) infections. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that could be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak is among those referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC. Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure. STEC bacteria are divided into serogroups (e.g., O157 or O121). E. coli O157 is the STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O121, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Because clinical laboratories typically cannot directly identify non-O157 STEC serogroups, they must first test stool samples for the presence of Shiga toxins.  Then, the positive samples must be sent to public health laboratories to look for non-O157 STEC. In recent years, the number of clinical laboratories that test for Shiga toxin has increased greatly, but some laboratories still do not perform these tests. Because of these complexities, many non-O157 STEC infections are probably not identified. The STEC O121 PFGE pattern in this outbreak is rare. In the past it has been seen less than 30 times in PulseNet.

A total of 24 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O121 have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Michigan (2), Mississippi (1), New York (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 30, 2012 to March 9, 2013. Ill persons range in age from 2 years to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Seventy-eight percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Sixty-three percent of ill persons are female. Among 21 persons with available information, 7 (33%) reported being hospitalized. One ill person developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day or week. This chart is called an epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after March 1, 2013 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks. For more details, please see Timeline for Reporting E. coli Cases.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies indicate that Farm Rich brand frozen food products are one likely source of this outbreak of STEC O121 infections.

In interviews, ill persons answered questions about food consumed and other exposures during the week before becoming ill. Eighteen (100%) of 18 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Eight (57%) of 14 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated.

The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home.

CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview ill persons about foods eaten before becoming ill. FSIS and FDA are continuing to work closely with CDC and state partners during this investigation.

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April 3, 2012 [FINAL Update]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants.

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli Web Page.

A total of 29 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O26 have been reported from 11 states. The 4 new cases have been reported from Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington, and West Virginia. Of the 27 ill persons with available information, 23 (85%) reported consuming sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants in the 7 days preceding illness.

Among 29 ill persons, illness onset dates ranged from December 25, 2011 to March 3, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 57 years old, with a median age of 26 years. Eighty-nine percent of ill persons are female. Among the 29 ill persons, 7 (24%) were hospitalized. None have developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

A total of 25 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O26 have been reported from 8 states. The 11 new ill persons have been reported from Alabama, Michigan, and Ohio. Of the 24 ill persons with available information, 21 (87%) reported consuming sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants in the 7 days preceding illness.

Among these 24 ill persons, illness onset dates ranged from December 25, 2011 to February 15, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 53 years old, with a median age of 26 years. Eighty-eight percent of ill persons are female. Among the 24 ill persons, 6 (25%) were hospitalized. None have developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported. Illnesses that occurred after February 19, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

A total of 14 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O26 have been reported from 6 states. The two new cases have been reported from Michigan. Both new cases reported eating at Jimmy John's restaurants and consuming sprouts in the 7 days preceding illness.

Among the 14 persons for whom information is available, illnesses onset dates range from December 25, 2011 to February 7, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 49 years old, with a median age of 25 years old. One hundred percent of ill persons are female. Among the 14 ill persons, 2 (14%) were hospitalized. None have developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported. Illnesses that occurred after February 4, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O26 (STEC O26) infections... (show more »)

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O26 (STEC O26) infections likely linked with eating raw clover sprouts. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak are referred to as STEC. STEC bacteria are grouped by serogroups (e.g., O157 or O26). The STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients is E. coli O157. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O26, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Others, such as common strains of STEC O26, typically cause milder illness. Currently, there are limited public health surveillance data on the occurrence of non-O157 STECs, including STEC O26; therefore, STEC O26 infections may go undiagnosed or unreported. Because non-O157 STEC infections are more difficult to identify than STEC O157, many clinical laboratories do not test for them. The STEC O26 PFGE pattern in this outbreak has rarely been seen before in PulseNet.

A total of 12 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 5 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1). Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 25, 2011 to January 15, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 49 years old, with a median age of 25 years old. One hundred percent of ill persons are female. Among the 12 ill persons, 2 (17%) were hospitalized. None have developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.

The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day. This chart is called an epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after January 27, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks. All epi curves for this investigation are available on the epi curve page. Please see the E. coli Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases for more details. Top of Page

Epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies have linked this outbreak to eating raw clover sprouts. Among the 11 ill persons with information available, 10 (91%) reported eating at a Jimmy John's sandwich restaurant in the 7 days preceding illness. Ill persons reported eating at 9 different locations of Jimmy John's restaurants in 4 states in the week before becoming ill. One location was identified where more than one ill person reported eating in the week before becoming ill. Among the 10 ill persons who reported eating at a Jimmy John's restaurant location, 8 (80%) reported eating a sandwich containing sprouts, and 9 (90%) reported eating a sandwich containing lettuce. Currently, no other common grocery stores or restaurants are associated with illnesses.

FDA's traceback investigation is ongoing. Preliminary traceback information has identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurant locations where ill persons ate. FDA and states conducted a traceback that identified two separate sprouting facilities; both used the same lot of seed to grow clover sprouts served at these Jimmy John's restaurant locations. On February 10, 2012, the seed supplier initiated notification of sprouting facilities that received this lot of clover seed to stop using it. Investigations are ongoing to identify other locations that may have sold clover sprouts grown from this seed lot.

This investigation is ongoing, but preliminary results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview ill persons about foods eaten before becoming ill. FDA is continuing to work closely with CDC and state partners during this investigation. CDC will update the public on the progress of this investigation as information becomes available.

Based on previous outbreaks associated with sprouts, investigation findings have demonstrated that sprout seeds might become contaminated in several ways. They could be grown with contaminated water or improperly composted manure fertilizer. They could be contaminated with feces from domestic or wild animals, or with runoff from animal production facilities, or by improperly cleaned growing or processing equipment. Seeds also might become contaminated during harvesting, distribution, or storage. Many clover seeds are produced for agricultural use, so they might not be processed, handled, and stored as human food would. Conditions suitable for sprouting the seed also permit bacteria that might be present on seeds to grow and multiply rapidly.

In 1999, FDA released guidance to help seed producers and sprout growers enhance the safety of their products. Specific measures recommended in the guidelines include a seed disinfection step and microbiologic tests of water that has been used to grow each lot of sprouts. The microbiologic tests currently recommended under this guidance would not identify the presence of STEC O26.

Preliminary results indicate that this strain of E. coli produces Shiga toxin type 1 and does not produce Shiga toxin type 2. (« show less)

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June 22, 2012 (Investigation Update): Multistate Outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli O145 Infections

This particular outbreak appears to be over. However, E. coli is still an important cause of human illness in the United States. More information about E. coli, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection, can be found on the CDC E. coli Web Page.

CDC collaborated with public health officials in 9 states to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O145 infections. Public health investigators used DNA “fingerprints” of STEC bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may have been part of this outbreak. They used data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

A total of 18 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 were reported from 9 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state with the outbreak strain was as follows: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Maryland (1), Tennessee (1), and Virginia (1).

Among 18 persons for whom information was available, illness onsets ranged from April 15, 2012 to June 12, 2012. Ill persons ranged in age from 1 to 79 years, and the median age was 33 years. Seventy-eight percent of patients were female. Four patients were hospitalized. One death was reported in Louisiana.

CDC initiated an investigation into this outbreak of illnesses on May 14, 2012 when six ill persons had been reported to CDC PulseNet from two states. CDC and state public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Based on interviews of 15 ill persons, a source for these infections was not identified.

A total of 18 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 were identified in 9 states: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Maryland (1), Tennessee (1), and Virginia (1). Since the last update 3 new ill persons were identified in 3 states: Kentucky (1), Maryland (1), and Virginia (1).

Among persons for whom information was available, illness onset dates ranged from April 15, 2012 to June 12, 2012. Ill persons ranged in age from 1 year to 79 years, with a median age of 33 years; 78% were female. Four ill persons were hospitalized. One death was reported in Louisiana.

CDC and state public health officials interviewed ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness. Based on interviews of 15 ill persons, a source for these infections was not identified.

A total of 15 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 infection have been identified in 6 states: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Louisiana (5), and Tennessee (1). Since the last update one new ill person has been identified in Louisiana with a reported illness onset of April 21, 2012. This is during the same time period as other ill persons in this outbreak.

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from April 15, 2012 to May 12, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 1 year to 79 years old, with a median age of 31 years old; 73% are female. Four ill persons have been hospitalized. One death has been reported in Louisiana.

Illnesses that occurred after May 5, 2012 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

It has been approximately 6 weeks since the last illness onset among reported cases.  Although this indicates that the outbreak could be over, CDC continues to work with state public health officials to identify additional cases and the source of these STEC O145 infections.

State public health officials have been interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.  Based on interviews of 12 ill persons to date, a source for these infections has not been identified.

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O145 (STEC O145) infections. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak is among those referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC.  STEC bacteria are grouped by serogroups (e.g., O157 or O145). The STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients is E. coli O157. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O145, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which is a type of kidney failure.  Currently, there are limited public health surveillance data on the occurrence of non-O157 STECs, including STEC O145; many STEC O145 infections may go undiagnosed or unreported. Compared with STEC O157 infections, identification of non-O157 STEC infections is more complex.  First, clinical laboratories must test stool samples for the presence of Shiga toxins. Then, the positive samples must be sent to public health laboratories to look for non-O157 STEC. Clinical laboratories typically cannot identify non-O157 STEC.  The STEC O145 PFGE pattern in this outbreak has not been seen in PulseNet before.

CDC initiated an investigation into this cluster of illnesses on May 14, 2012.  At that time, six ill persons had been reported to CDC PulseNet from two states during May 3, 2012 to May 9, 2012. Although the most recent report of an illness to CDC was on June 4, 2012, their onset of illness occurred before May 10, 2012  and was during same period as other ill persons in this outbreak.

A total of 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 infection have been identified in 6 states: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Louisiana (4), and Tennessee (1).  Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from April 15, 2012 to May 12, 2012. The time from the beginning of a patient's illness to the confirmation that he or she was part of an outbreak is typically about 2-3 weeks. Please see the E. coli Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases for more details.  Ill persons range in age from 1 year to 79 years old, with a median age of 33 years old; 79% are female. Three ill persons have been hospitalized; one death has been reported in Louisiana.

It has been approximately 4 weeks since the last illness onset among reported cases.  Although this indicates that the outbreak could be over, CDC continues to work with state public health officials to identify additional cases and the source of these STEC O145 infections.

State public health officials have been interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.  Based on interviews of 10 ill persons to date, a source for these infections has not been identified.

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