E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate)(06)

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

[1]
Source: FDA.gov [edited]
< http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01458.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, 131 cases of illness due to _E. coli_ infection have been
reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
including 20 cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), 66
hospitalizations, and one death.

Illnesses:
Illnesses continue to be reported to CDC. This is considered to be an
ongoing investigation.

States Affected:
There are 21 confirmed states: California, Connecticut, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah,
Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

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[2]
Source: Chicago Tribune [edited]
< http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/nearwest/chi-0609200179sep20,1,7996536.story?coll=chi-newslocalnearwest-hed>

Federal health officials are investigating whether a more potent
strain of _E. coli_ O157:H7 is behind an outbreak linked to fresh
spinach that has sickened at least 131 people, half of whom have been
hospitalized.

The CDC said on Tue 19 Sep 2006 that 50 percent of those reported
sick in the outbreak were hospitalized. That's double the 25 percent
to 30 percent seen in other outbreaks, said Dr. David Acheson of the
FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

"We're running higher than that," Acheson told reporters in a
conference call. "One possibility is that this is a virulent strain."

Also unexpected was the 15 percent of food poisoning victims who
developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
Five percent is more typical, Acheson said.

He cautioned that the numbers could be skewed by under-reporting of
less severe cases of illness. "It's too early to say at this point," he added.

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[3]
Source: Mohave Daily News [edited]
< http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2006/09/20/news/state/state1.txt>


The exact source probably will never be found for the _E. coli_
outbreak linked to fresh spinach, a top food safety official said Tue
19 Sep 2006, though federal inspectors kept checking California farms
and factories.

FDA inspectors were visiting fields and buildings linked to companies
that have recalled fresh spinach products, as well as other locations
in the Salinas Valley, said Robert Brackett, director of the agency's
Center for Food Safety and Applied Sciences.

The outbreak of _E. coli_ is the 20th linked to fresh lettuce or
spinach since 1995.

"I would say the odds are, based on past experiences, we will not be
able to pinpoint the exact cause," Brackett said.

In particular, investigators seek evidence of flooding or cases where
contaminated surface area had come into contact with crops, Brackett
told The Associated Press. They also were on the lookout for animal
droppings and other evidence of wildlife in the fields, as well as
checking on the sanitary conditions inside the plants where produce
is processed.

"They will look for any obvious or even suspected places where this
organism could gain access to the produce," Brackett said. Inspectors
also were taking samples from actual produce as well as from common
areas in the processing plants that could harbor bacteria, he added.


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[4]
Source: FDA.gov [edited]
<http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/rlb09_06.html >


RLB Food Distributors, LP, West Caldwell, NJ, is initiating a
multiple east coast states voluntarily recall of certain salad
products that may contain spinach with an Enjoy Thru date of 20 Sep 2006.

The products recalled by RLB are:

Balducci's Mesclun Mix 5 oz.
Balducci's Organic Baby Spinach 5 oz.
Balducci's Mixed Greens 5 oz.
FreshPro Mesclun Mix 5 oz.
FreshPro Organic Baby Spinach 5 oz.
FreshPro Mixed Greens 5 oz.
FreshPro Salad Mix with Italian Dressing 4.75 oz.
FreshPro Salad Mix with Ranch Dressing 5.25 oz

Spinach used in these products may have been supplied from Natural
Selections Foods, a California grower and processor, to RLB Food
Distributors. This recall was initiated when Natural Selections Foods
issued on 15 Sep 2006 a nation- wide recall of all their products
that contain spinach because they may be contaminated with _E. coli_
O157:H7 bacteria. The recalled products were distributed in
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware,
Virginia and Washington DC. They can be identified by an "Enjoy Thru"
date of 20 Sep 2006 or before that is located on the bottom of the package.

No illnesses have been reported to us as of this date from consuming
these products.

An investigation by the FDA, several states, and Natural Selections
Foods is ongoing to identify the cause of the possible _E. coli_ contamination.