Case Count Doubles in E. coli O157 Outbreak Linked to Oak Leaf Dairy Farm
The number of confirmed E. coli outbreak cases has more than doubled in the past four days. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that 34 outbreak cases have been linked to Oak Leaf Dairy, a goat farm located in the town of Lebanon.
The information comes after federal and state officials visited the dairy farm on March 24th. Officials from the CDC, Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Connecticut DPH and the Uncas health district conducted an onsite investigation after public health officials confirmed the existence of an ongoing outbreak of E. coli.
The investigation is continuing and is “expected to last several weeks,” according to a statement released by the DPH this afternoon. The DPH, in collaboration with the CDC, is in the process of planning “additional studies to better understand the scope of the outbreak and specific risk factors for illness among persons who visited the farm.”
As of March 28th, 15 people had tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli, and all but one had direct exposure to the dairy farm. The DPH stated that two of the new E. coli infections occurred in individuals that had not visited the farm. All three individuals are secondary cases, meaning that they fell ill through exposure to an ill person who came into contact with E. coli bacteria at the farm, rather than exposure to the source itself.
The statement issued by the department contained additional information regarding the outbreak cases. The age of patients affected by the outbreak ranges from 10 months to 45 years old. The median age of the outbreak victims is 5 years old. The very young age reflects the kind of activities that visitors engaged in, such as petting and riding on the animals.
The release also included a breakdown of the infected individuals by age. The breakdown reinforces the nature of visits taken to the farm. Of the 34 confirmed cases, only six were adults. 28 cases occurred in children aged 14 or younger, and 18 cases involved children under the age of six.
The number of hospitalizations and cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) illustrate the gravity of the situation. Nine of the farm visitors infected with E. coli required hospitalization as a result of the severity of their illnesses. Four of those cases remain in the hospital. All but one of the four developed HUS, a rare condition that affects the blood’s ability to clot and can ultimately lead to complete kidney failure.
“Most people recover [from E. coli], but this can be a fatal illness,” Dr. Matthew Cartter, director of infectious diseases at the DPH, stated in an earlier article about the outbreak. “That’s why we are very concerned about those who have been hospitalized.
“A wonderful time that led to a horrible outcome”
Only one outbreak patient has publicly discussed her experience at this point. Amanda Collins, a Manchester resident, took her 18 month old daughter to visit the farm on March 13th. Collins held and pet the goats, bringing her daughter into the animals’ stalls with her.
Days after visiting Oak Leaf, Collins began to experience symptoms that she chalked up to a stomach bug. When her daughter also began to show evidence of the same symptoms, her mother knew that something was wrong.
Collins “ended up having intestinal pain, diarrhea, [and] seeing bloody stool.” Worse than the illness itself was having to watching her daughter suffer. “Just seeing her go through the same thing that I physically felt myself [was] agonizing,” Collins said.
The visit to the farm was “a wonderful time with a horrible outcome,” she said.
Farm to Remain Closed as Search for Additional Cases Continues
Mike Reynolds, owner of Oak Leaf Dairy Farm, said that the outbreak had already started affecting his wholesale business. Reynolds noted that the farm had never been linked to E. coli before the current outbreak. According to DPH officials, the owners continue to cooperate with the investigation.
The DPH stated that the farm voluntarily decided to shut down animal visits by the public, though other news reports indicate that the farm’s owner has been specifically instructed by the DPH not to allow the public to visit the farm. Regardless, the farm closed its doors, suspending all scheduled visits with the animals open to the public.
Meanwhile, public health officials continue their efforts to identify individuals who may be part of the outbreak. “It is really important to get the work out to those who visited the farm,” said Cartter. The dairy farm “had several events earlier in March where people were allowed to pet the goats. We think that’s important in this case.”
If you or someone you know visited the farm, the DPH asks that you get in touch with them regardless of whether or not you have experienced any symptoms.
In addition, monitor yourself and any family members that accompanied you to the farm for symptoms of an E. coli infection. In general, these symptoms appear three to four days after exposure to the bacteria. Since the farm has been closed to the public for over a week, it is unlikely that additional cases will develop.
On occasion, however, symptoms may not even begin to appear for ten days after encountering the pathogen. Although symptoms vary from person to person, they often include diarrhea, which is often bloody, severe stomach cramps, and vomiting. Fever associated with E. coli illness runs low, and rarely exceeds 101˚F.
