42 sick with 7 hospitalized – At least 1 with acute kidney failure – E. coli source, likely animal contact.
The Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD) is investigating an outbreak of shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 associated with the Milk Makers Fest that was held at the Northwest Fairgrounds in Lynden on 4/21 – 4/23/15. Over a thousand primary school children from all of the school districts in Whatcom County attended the event. Most of the cases involve children who attended the event. Several older children involved with the event and some adults and close contacts of cases have also become ill.
WCHD is continuing to interview cases to determine if there was a common food or water source or activity, such as the petting zoo or other contact with livestock. Washington State Department of Health Communicable Disease Epidemiology is assisting with the outbreak investigation.
Cumulative total: 22 cases* (7 cases have been hospitalized), 20 probable cases ** Change since last report of 5/2/15: no new cases, +1 probable cases, no new hospitalizations
*Cases include those with positive labs (preliminary presumptive positive O157 and final confirmed positives), and clinical cases with close contact with a case with positive or presumptive positive labs.
** Probable cases are cases with clinical symptoms and were associated with the event, but lab results are not available or labs were not done.
The state public health lab is testing confirmed E. coli O157 isolates for serogroup (to determine if O157:H7 or another related serogroup). Preliminary positive O157 isolates are regrown and have further testing done at a commercial lab to confirm O157.
All sound painfully familiar:
2005 washington fair assoc from Bill Marler
It is certainly not like we have not seen this before:
- AgVenture Farms Petting Zoo E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Lawsuits – Florida (2005)
- Big Fresno Fair E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – California (2005)
- Cleveland County Fair E. coli Outbreak – North Carolina (2012)
- Crossroads Farm Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – North Carolina (2004)
- Cuyahoga County E. coli outbreak – Ohio (2009)
- Lane County Fair E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Oregon (2002)
- White Water Water Park E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Georgia (1998)
For more information on the risks of zoonotic exposures, see Fair Safety Dot Com.
E. coli: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.