New E. coli Outbreaks Remain a Mystery
Two new E. coli outbreaks have been announced in 2017, one by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and one by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). In the U.S., the outbreak includes at least 10 people in four states, each of which have been made ill by the same strain of E. coli with a matching pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, which is the “genetic fingerprint” of a bacteria such as E. coli or Salmonella. The health agencies involved became aware of the outbreak when they uploaded the characteristics of the E. coli found in victims into the national database of contagions, PulseNet.
The CDC has yet to name which strain has been found, but have confirmed that it is a Shiga toxin-producing strain (otherwise known as STEC, which causes the onset of severe bloody diarrhea and can cause severe illness, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which can shut down the kidneys, or even death.
Public Health Agency of Canada Announcing New E. coli Outbreaks
The PHAC is also struggling to find the source of new E. coli outbreaks in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Newfoundland/Labrador, which are likely from the same source. A matching strain of E. coli O121 has been identified in eight people in British Columbia, four people in Saskatchewan, three people in Alberta, and five people in Newfoundland/Labrador. The illnesses were first reported in November of 2016, and continued through to January of this year. The source remains a mystery.
As E. coli lawyers, the attorneys at Ron Simon & Associates continue to follow all recent outbreaks and to assist victims in recouping losses due to food borne illness. To speak to an E. coli lawyer, call 1-888-335-4901.
