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Georgia E. Coli Outbreak May Be Linked to Michigan/Ohio

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

Further investigation into an outbreak of E. coli in Colquitt County, Georgia, has uncovered a possible link to the Georgia outbreak and the Michigan/Ohio outbreak related to Nebraska Beef and Kroger, according to the Moultrie Observer. Laboratory tests of patients revealed that the strain in the two outbreaks were the same, which establishes a possible connection between the two outbreaks. So far, six people in Georgia have been sickened, with another three probable cases being investigated. The three individuals listed as probable cases have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a deadly disease associated with E. coli infection. Brenda Greene, Southwest Georgia Public Health District Deputy Health Director had the following to say:

“A specimen sample from one of the patients resulted in a match to the same strain of E. coli bacteria in disease outbreaks in Michigan and Ohio, and those illnesses are linked to ground beef. The National Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and state epidemiologists agree that ground beef may be a source of the infection in Colquitt County.”

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on July 07, 2008 (boomark / email).