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Edmondson: Locust Grove E. coli investigation 'botched' Source of Article: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=298&articleid=20090309_298_0_OKLAHO773268&allcom=1
Edmondson said the Oklahoma
State Department of Health publicly said the well at the Country Cottage
restaurant was not the source of the outbreak, but told other officials in at
least three meetings that it was the source. The statements were made by
Dr. Kristy Bradley, state epidemiologist, Edmondson said. “I am saying they
botched the investigation and are very reluctant to admit they botched the
investigation,” Edmondson said. After an investigation by
his office, Edmonson on Feb. 13 said poultry litter was the likely cause of
the E. coli 0111 outbreak that left one dead and more than 300 ill. Edmondson
has sued poultry companies, alleging excess chicken litter spread at
fertilizer is contaminating eastern Oklahoma watersheds. “In light of the previous
inaccurate statements, I would think it would be incumbent upon them to set
the record straight and to be honest with the public that pays their
salaries,” Edmondson said. He said the agency can’t be
more certain about the outbreak’s source because it failed to take samples
from all of the food service workers, Edmondson said. The agency didn’t
believe or falsely assumed it did not have the power to force someone to be
tested, he said. However, state law gives the agency that power, Edmondson
said. He said that is why the
agency can’t rule out a food service worker. “I have been very
disappointed she and they have
not been (honest) and that has left me hanging out there as the only person
saying the well was the likely source in public when part of the basis for my
saying it was what I was hearing from the state epidemiologist,” Edmondson
said. He said his own
investigation ruled out human contamination or cattle waste as the source in
the well. The Oklahoma State
Department of Health did not respond specifically to Edmondson’s allegations,
but issued a statement outlining their efforts and findings. No E. coli 0111 was
identified in samples from the restaurant’s well, ill food handlers or other
sources, said Leslea Bennet-Webb, a spokeswoman for the agency. The agency
did not respond to a request for a response from Bradley. The agency released several
updates indicating that no E. coli 0111 had been found after extensive
testing, Bennet-Webb said. “Because the
disease-causing organism was not found, the OSDH has not been able to eliminate
from consideration any of these potential vehicles for transmission of the
bacteria into the restaurant, including well water,” Bennet-Webb said. “It
should be noted that even if the OSDH had tested all restaurant employees,
testing methods would not have confirmed whether an employee transmitted the
E. coli 0111, or became ill as customers did by eating at the restaurant.” Gary Mickelson, a spokesman
for Tyson, one of the companies Edmondson is suing, said the attorney general
is “desperately trying to manufacture evidence” to connect poultry litter to
the outbreak. “Apparently, any state
agency unable or unwilling to go along with his scheme is subject to public
criticism,” Mickelson said. By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau |
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