KSFY in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, reports that a one-year-old boy from Sioux Center, Iowa is currently hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome at a Sioux Falls area hospital. There are no reported "confirmed" cases in the JBS outbreak from Iowa . . . Yet. But these outbreaks tend to evolve. After all, we’re talking about a product that many people
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and E. coli O157:H7
We have already heard from several families whose children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after contracting E. coli O157:H7 from Nestle cookie dough. Most often, though we certainly see cases where the pathalogic process described below affects other organs, HUS affects the kidneys. Here is a short explanation of what HUS is, and why it is so…
Nestle Blames Victims for E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak
With reports of 66 cases of E. coli O157:H7 across 28 states, Nestle has announced a recall of its Cookie Dough Products. The illnesses include 25 hospitalizations, and 7 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is a life-threatening complication of E. coli O157:H7 infection, that recently was reported as the cause of death…
Legal Lessons From the Country Cottage E. coli O111 Outbreak
In April, The Oklahoma State Health Department (OHD) published its final report on a massive outbreak of E. coli 0111 linked to the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove, Oklahoma. E. coli O111, one of the family of E. coli bacteria, is classified as an STEC, a shiga toxin producing escherichia coli. In other words, it…
Heather Whybrew’s E. coli O157:H7 Illness
Andrew Martin of the New York Times wrote a nice article this morning on the safety of our food supply. We represent all three individuals profiled in his article: Heather Whybrew, Carl Ours, and Mary Tardiff. All suffered devastating illnesses in separate outbreaks and from different pathogens. All have unbelievable stories of suffering.
Heather’s story is unique, perhaps because she had lived through so much pain in her life even before her severe E. coli O157:H7 illness. In November 2004, after two years of headaches, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Treatment for her relatively rare condition—giant cell glioblastoma—included a full craniotomy to remove the tumor from the left frontal lobe of Heather’s brain. The procedure left her partially paralyzed. She remained hospitalized at Seattle Children’s Hospital and in intensive rehabilitation from November 16 until December 24, 2004.
During her rehabilitation, Heather had to relearn many basic motor functions, including how to walk. Relearn these skills she did, and despite her brain tumor, Heather eventually went on to college at Pacific Lutheran University.
Heather was infected by E. coli O157:H7 in the midst of finals her freshman year from contaminated lettuce served in a University Cafeteria. She would ultimately be hospitalized at St. Francis Hospital and Seattle Children’s Hospital for three weeks. During her hospitalization, Heather battled endless nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, a bad pneumonia illness, and severe blood clots in the superficial veins of her arms. The combined medical treatment would cost almost $114,000. She would have to make up her final exams during the next school year.Continue Reading Heather Whybrew’s E. coli O157:H7 Illness
Stephanie Smith, Rocori grad sickened by E. coli strain
Amy Bowen of the St. Cloud Times has written about Stephanie Smith, 20, (Just for Kix instructor) who is struggling for her life after contracting what appears to be a critical case of E. coli poisoning. She was on life support Friday in the intensive care unit at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester. Doctors are…