New Law Blogs

E coli Death of Girl May Be Linked to Recalled Beef

By PritzkerLaw

A 7-year-old Cleveland girl has died from an E. coli O157:H7 infection that may have stemmed from contaminated ground beef recalled Thursday by an Illinois company.

The recall of 48 tons of frozen patties and refrigerated ground beef applies to meat produced March 10 by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Illinois. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the recall was prompted by an epidemiological investigation by state health officials in Ohio who found genetically matched isolates of E. coli O157:H7 in three people who were not related.

One was a 3-year-old girl, one was a 24-year-old man and the third was a 71-year-old man. Two of the victims were hospitalized, but all three recovered, the Ohio Department of Health reported. The FSIS said other matching E. coli O157:H7 infections were found in Pennsylvania and Illinois, but the agency didn't say how many.

Hours after the recall was announced, news broke of a potential fourth victim in Ohio -- the 7-year-old girl. Here's what reporters Leila Atassi and Harlan Spector reported for The Plain Dealer's web site in Cleveland:

"Health officials did not identify the girl or provide details of the circumstances that led to her death. But Cleveland Health Director Matthew Carroll said the case might be the latest in a cluster of E. Coli infections traced to Valley Meats LLC, of Coal Valley, Ill.''

Lisa Abraham of the Akron Beacon Journal said two restaurants in Cuyahoga County are part of the investigation, but health officials haven't named them because it's not certain they are linked. The report said the recalled hamburger made by Valley Meats was for sale to restaurants and food service accounts.

According to the recall notice, the potentially contaminated beef was distributed nationwide under a dozen generic brands and the following name brands: 3S, Grillmaster, J&B, Klub, Thick 'N Savory and Ultimate. All packages are stamped with USDA establishment number 5712.

National food poisoning and food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is monitoring the outbreak and urging anyone who believes they may have become ill from ground beef produced by Valley Meats to immediately see a physician. Symptoms of E. coli include diarrhea (often bloody), severe cramps, possible nausea or vomiting and possible mild fever.

Pritzker Olsen is involved in practically all major outbreaks of foodborne illness and has recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims of E. coli O157:H7 and other deadly pathogens. Earlier this year, the firm was chosen to represent the Ohio family of Nellie Napier, an 80-year-old resident of Medina County who died of Salmonella infection linked to Peanut Corp. of America.

To contact an E. coli O157:H7 lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on May 21, 2009 (boomark / email).