Opinion

On this Thanksgiving I want to say how thankful I am for those who work to protect the food we eat.  Although for 26 years I have been primarily supportive of those who protect us, like families and good friends, sometimes a critique is appropriate.

I want to express my thanks to the lawyers and staff at Marler Clark and the writers at Food Safety News – a more dedicated group of professionals would be difficult to find.

I also want to express my thanks to the thousands of past and current clients who have put their faith in me to help seek some semblance of justice – it is a daily honor.

The Question:

Is the outbreak strain of the Halloween announced outbreak — 23 sick in 12 states — the same as the officially announced outbreak of fall 2019 — 67 sick in 19 states thus far — and the outbreaks of 2017, with 25 sick in 15 states, and to romaine lettuce in 2018 with 62 sick in 16 states?

The Answer:

NO – thanks to the the official working on Thanksgiving Day.

The Background:

On a Halloween announcement, the FDA reported that a previously unreported E. coli outbreak had occurred.  According to the FDA, a total of 23 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 were reported from 12 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania  and South Carolina. Eleven people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 12 to Sept. 8, 2019. No illnesses were reported after CDC began investigating the outbreak on Sept. 17, the agency reported.

According to the FDA, investigators were sent to visit farms located in California’s central coast region which were identified through the traceback investigation. They collected and tested many environmental samples, and the outbreak strain was not identified. While romaine lettuce is the likely cause of the outbreak, the investigation did not identify a common source or point where contamination occurred. Since the outbreak strain was not detected in samples collected from farms during the traceback investigation, and there have been no new cases since Sept. 8, 2019, the outbreak appears to be over.

On Nov. 20 the CDC announced that 17 people sickened by the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 had been reported from eight states. Ill people range in age from 3 to 72 years, with a median age of 16. Fifty-six percent of ill people are female. Of 17 ill people with information available, seven hospitalizations have been reported, including 2 people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

On Nov. 22 the CDC  announced that 23 additional ill people have been reported. As of November 21, 2019, a total of 40 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 had been reported from 16 states. Ill people range in age from 3 to 89 years, with a median age of 22. Sixty-five percent of ill people are female. Of 39 ill people with information available, 28 hospitalizations have been reported, including five people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

On Nov. 26 the CDC announced that an additional 27 ill people had been reported sick. As of Nov. 25, a total of 67 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 19 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Sept. 24 to Nov. 14, 2019. Ill people range in age from 3 to 89 years, with a median age of 25. Sixty-seven percent of ill people are female. Of 50 ill people with information available, 39 hospitalizations have been reported, including six people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicate that romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California, growing region is the likely source of this outbreak. FDA and states continue to trace the source of the romaine lettuce eaten by ill people. Preliminary information indicates that some of the ill people ate lettuce grown in Salinas, California. No common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified. This outbreak is caused by the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 that caused outbreaks linked to leafy greens in 2017 (25 sick in 15 states) and to romaine lettuce in 2018 (62 sick in 16 states).

So, is the outbreak strain’of the Halloween-announced outbreak the same as the officially announced outbreak of 2019 (67 sick in 19 states thus far) and the outbreaks of 2017 (25 sick in 15 states) and to romaine lettuce in 2018 (62 sick in 16 states)?

And one more question:

Since the Halloween announced outbreak is not linked, what is the significance?

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