E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate) (04)

International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Source: FDA.gov [edited]
< http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01452.html>

The FDA will continue to provide the public with regular updates on
the _E. coli_ O157:H7 outbreak each day until further notice.

Case Reports
To date, 102 cases of illness due to _E. coli_ infection have been
reported to the CDC, including 16 cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
(HUS) and one death. Illnesses continue to be reported to CDC. This
is considered to be an ongoing investigation.

Symptoms of _E. coli_ O157:H7 Illness
_E. coli_ O157:H7 causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although
most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people
can develop a form of kidney failure called HUS. HUS is most likely
to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to
serious kidney damage and even death.

Consumer Advice
FDA advises consumers to not eat fresh spinach or fresh
spinach-containing products until further notice. If individuals
believe they may have experienced symptoms of illness after consuming
fresh spinach or fresh spinach-containing products, FDA recommends
that they seek medical advice.

For a list of states affected, and of brands recalled by Natural
Selection Foods, see previous ProMED post listed at end.

The affected products were also distributed to Canada and Mexico. FDA
continues to investigate whether other companies and brands are involved.

Since the last post, the number of states reporting cases has
decreased from 20 to 19, the number of reported cases has increased
from 94 to 102, and the number of known cases of HUS from 14 to
16. The number of deaths remains at one.