Pizza Ranch linked to Five Cases of E. coli
Pizza Ranch, a restaurant chain with locations in thirteen states, including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa, has been linked to a multi-state outbreak of E. coli.
To date, there have been five cases confirmed in Minnesota and one in Kansas. Other states may be included but have not yet publicly confirmed any outbreak cases.
The five Minnesota cases are associated with meals purchased as early as December 6, 2015, and as late as January 16, 2016. It is unknown when the meal associated with the Kansas case was purchased.
Pizza dough is suspected as the likely source of the outbreak; however, health officials have not determined, or at least have yet to announce, how the contamination occurred. According to a statement released by Pizza Ranch today, the restaurant chain “removed [the] Skillet Dough mix immediately from use in response to information suggesting that this product was a possible common factor in the illnesses and subsequently expanded this product withdrawal to include [the] Original Dough mix.”
Seven Year Old Girl Develops Severe Complication of E. coli
At least one child infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is most commonly found in children infected with certain strains of E. coli. If a child becomes infected with certain strains of the bacteria, the bacteria will lodge in the digestive tract and produce toxins that can enter the bloodstream. The toxins travel through the bloodstream and can destroy the red blood cells.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome is the most common cause of acute kidney injury in children. Children who are more likely to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome include those who are younger than age 5 and have been diagnosed with an E. coli O157:H7 infection, have a weakened immune system, or have a family history of inherited hemolytic uremic syndrome.
When the kidneys and the tiny units within the kidneys where blood is filtered become clogged with the damaged red blood cells, they are unable to do their jobs. If the kidneys stop functioning, a child can develop acute kidney injury: the sudden and temporary loss of kidney function.
Call Ron SImon at 1-888-335-4901 – the experience of a hemolytic uremic syndrome lawyer.
