Adams Farm Slaughterhouse E. Coli Outbreak Over: 11 Victims Confirmed in the Athol, Massachusetts E. coli Outbreak
The CDC and USDA have published the outcome of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that sickened 11 victims in 5 states, including Connecticut (2), Massachusetts (5), Pennsylvania (2), Virginia, and West Virginia. The illnesses were matched to a single outbreak when the PFGE analysis of their stool specimens was uploaded into PulseNet, the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories. The first victim was identified on June 27, 2016, and the last on September 10, 2016. The victims ranged from 1 to 74 years in age, with 32 year average. One of the seven who required hospitalization developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
The investigation into the Adams Farm Slaughterhouse E. Coli outbreak began with questionnaires in which all of the people interviewed, in this case 7 of them, recalled eating ground beef in the seven-day incubation period prior to developing symptoms of E. coli poisoning. The USDA and CDC, working together with local agencies such as the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH), confirmed the source of the ground beef for 6 of those 7, and it was produced by Adams Farm Slaughterhouse.
Thereafter, CDPH tested samples of Adams Farm Slaughterhouse ground beef found in one of the victim’s homes and it was positive for the outbreak strain of STEC O157:H7. The ground beef had been purchased form a restaurant. On the 24th of September, Adams Farm Slaughterhouse issued a wide-ranging recall of its meat products due to the potential to be adulterated with e. coli
According to the CDC and USDA, the Adams Farm Slaughterhouse E. Coli outbreak appears to have been successfully stopped by an effective and swift investigation. Quick action prvented a potentially deadly food poisoning outbreak.
For more information about the Adams Farm Slaughterhouse E. Coli outbreak or to talk to an E. coli lawyer about protecting your legal rights, call 1-888-335-4901.
