E.coli outbreak
hits one Illinois
Oct
01, 2008
Julia Dilday/Medill
Source of Article: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=99561
Iceberg lettuce may be behind the E. coli cases which left six
people hospitalized in
A Cook County Department of Public Health spokesman said the cases
were not in its jurisdiction, one that excludes
Melaney Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Illinois
Department of Health, said the six were contaminated with E. coli
O157:H7 between late August and mid-September.
They were hospitalized after eating iceberg lettuce distributed by Aunt Mid’s Produce Company, prompting a statewide warning by the
state’s Department of Public Health. At least 26 people in
“Right now what we’re able to say is that basically six people who consumed
this iceberg lettuce that was distributed by Aunt Mid’s
reported having E. coli that is the same strain as other cases that are in
Michigan,” Arnold said.
Aunt Mid’s has voluntarily suspended the sale and
processing of iceberg lettuce while the investigation is underway. The Illinois
Department of Public Health has asked all restaurants and institutions to
discontinue serving iceberg lettuce they may have purchased from Aunt Mid’s.
E. coli O157 is found in the intestines of animals such as cattle, goats and
sheep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Often what happens is that contamination from animal feces sometimes makes
its way to contaminate other foods,” said Dr. Mark Sotir,
epidemiologist in the CDC’s Department of Foodborne,
Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, Wednesday.
People contaminated by E. coli O157 often have cramps, diarrhea and
vomiting, according to the CDC.
“Although the majority of people recover, it can be a very serious disease
with the possibility of death,” Sotir said.
Dr. Sotir and his colleague Dr. Samir Sodha, also an
epidemiologist at the CDC, said hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) affects 8
percent of people diagnosed with E. coli O157, and is one of its most severe
complications. Those with HUS suffer kidney failure, and in some cases, stroke,
seizure and even death.
“A couple of populations that are specifically vulnerable to getting HUS are
the elderly and young children,” Sotir said. “That’s
why in the public health community, we’re particularly concerned with
investigating these outbreaks of E. coli O157.”
Dominic Riggio, president of Aunt Mid’s, said the company has been fully cooperating with
“We have nothing to hide,” Riggio said.
Riggio said he feels that allegations against his
company are unsupported.
“There have been no hard facts and no evidence that any of Aunt Mid’s products have been contaminated with E. coli,” Riggio said Wednesday. He added that he has not been
informed of the outcome of
He would not comment on where the company's iceberg lettuce is grown.
“It is very important that you thoroughly wash all produce, no matter what
type it is, and even in packages that say "pre-washed," she
said.
Last year, 137 cases of E. coli were reported in
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