What Is Causing the Mysterious E.Coli Outbreak in Southern States?
- Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:30pm by
Liz Klimas
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Officials are unsure of the common source of the E. Coli outbreak. (Photo: AP/Manfred Rohde/Helmhotz Zentrum)
ATLANTA (The Blaze/AP) — A mysterious and scattered outbreak of the E. coli bacteria is linked to 14 illnesses and one death, health officials say.
No form of contaminated food or other cause has been identified in the illnesses, which occurred in April and May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Three people were hospitalized. One – a child in the New Orleans area – died last week.
The reported illnesses were spread across six states. Federal officials have not identified all six states, but officials in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana have confirmed outbreak-associated illnesses.
E. coli is a large family of bacteria and most strains are harmless. The most deadly strain is considered E. coli O157:H7, which became well-known in the early 1990s through a deadly outbreak associated with hamburger meat.
Watch CNN report on the outbreak, explaining how officials know it originates from one source:
Six similar strains are also considered dangerous and one of them is E. coli O145, the strain identified in this new outbreak. Health officials haven’t been tracking O145 intensively for very long; it was only in 2009 that the CDC began recommending labs test for it.
The first U.S. foodborne outbreak linked to O145 occurred in 2010, when more than two dozen people in at least five states were sickened by bacteria transmitted through romaine lettuce.
Until the source of the new outbreak is identified, health officials can offer the public only general advice for avoiding the infection: Cook meat thoroughly. Avoid unpasteurized milk and ciders. And – if you have a diarrhea-like illness – wash your hands thoroughly and do not prepare meals for others.
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NLN
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 6:04pmWell maybe obamar will pass laws against consuming food, For our on good of course.
Report Post »korbin
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 5:12pmHere is the truth if you can handle it. Third world country, we have been in this mode for sometime, living here in the so cal desert it is as bad as San Diego with all of the Mexican mostly illegals and nationals. they are not very health conscious in my opinion take a look in the trash can at any mexican restaurant they crap and then put the paper in the trash can instead of the toilet. this is wide spread they can’t get used to having a flushing toilet. I have been all over the world and always wash my hands but NOT everyone does especially the people handling/cooking your food. NO SOAP rarely is there soap in the dispenser or paper towels so HOW is it they in the kitchen are washing their hands.
Report Post »listeninginVT
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 8:04pmhonestly, I am glad I don’t eat out any more. buy organic, buy local. that is disgusting.
Report Post »drftrapani
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 1:46pmE coli is a bacterium. It is found in virtually every human being’s colon. It is not dangerous!
Report Post »For many years now, humans have been treated with antibiotics when they become ill. But more important than that, our farm animals have been given antibiotics in their feed to increase their weight gain with less feed. Over 25,000,000 pounds of antibiotics each year in the U.S. fed to our livestock! Let me restate, this is not for controlling disease, but to increase their weight using less feed!
Now, let’s go back to e coli. Bacteria can reproduce very quickly. Without going into the reasons, they sometimes change in different ways. In this case, the very presence of the antibiotics caused them to change and become antibiotic resistant. This new strain of e coli now called e coli 0157H7 is not killed by antibiotics. But even worse than that, this new strain produces very deadly toxins called “shiga” toxins. These toxins can do serious damage to human kidneys, serious enough to kill the person infected with them!
If perchance a person happens to eat some food tainted with this strain of e coli, chances are that the amount that is ingested may do nothing more than to give you a temporary diarrhea. But let’s take a look into that persons colon. We will find that dangerous strain of e coli competing with hundreds of thousands of good strains of bacteria. That competition will keep the coli 0157H7 in check, unable to massively multiply.
But, if you get sick and go to your
politicaljules
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 12:35pmUPS packages have been coming to our house in questionable condition. Ive reported it several times but boxes look as though theyve been tampered with, and internal contents opened or inspected. Just recently i bought new earings online from amazon, ant got an infection on my ear lobe that was pretty nasty. We get tons of stuff from online orders and ive sent boxes back that contained supplements i did not feel safe about. Ive also had a kid that keeps getting sick, and troubling tummy issues. Now i thing my fears about shipments from ups might be valid. Fed ex does not have this problem because most of their pacages are sealed well. Watch your deliveries too folks, and wash hands after opening boxes.
Report Post »EP46
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 7:54amCould it be adults offering moose poop as food ?
Report Post »Spqr1
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 2:57amLooks like all the bigots ran an hid.
Report Post »TRILO
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 11:59pmWhy is this even a story? 14 people in 6 states get sick over a two month period. The hype from the CDC, FDA and the likes is absurd. All this is, is another attempt to stir up hysteria so that the government can regulate and control us even more.
Here is an idea…. wash your hands, wash your produce, cook your food and stay away from food bars.
Control the food supply, control the world. E Coli should be the least of anyone’s worries in the food supply.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 10:51pmWonder how long it will take the FDA to figure this one out.. and how many farmers they will put out of business before they do.. like when they said it was the FL tomatoes and it turned out it was the Jalapeno peppers from MEXICO ..
Report Post »Ailene Wright
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 7:45pmDemocraps make everyone sick.
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 8:58pmIt’s caused by the poisoned politics that now occurs in our government.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 7:10pmApple Cider Vinegar (yellow not white) kills E-Coli and Salmonella if taken after you realize you have eaten something bad. A few large tablespoons, swallowed, and you’ll be fine in less than a day. Sometimes it takes two doses, several hours apart, if you wait too long.
Always keep some in your food storage supplies.
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 8:56pmI do,,,and thanks for the tip. Of course, the FDA will be coming after you now.
Report Post »antrancher
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 9:37pmBuy the “Brag” brand with the “mother”.
Report Post »MBA
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:30pmobamy
Report Post »RedheadTexan
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:46pmAs long as animals poop, and vegetables are grown in the ground, there will be some level of foodbourne illness. All we can do is try our best to minimize it.
Report Post »PoliticalTs.com
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:13pmUh, Hello, two words, Wild Hogs. They are running rampant, reproducung like crazy in the south, and they will eat everything. They will eat rotting rancid flesh one minute, and then munch on farm crops the next, spreading disease, as they go.
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:04pmIt is called “poor hygiene”. Look at the employees of the contamination sites dammit!!
Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
Report Post »The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
danenut
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:56pmAny one think of the dog food yet? That was what was fueling the East coast out break. . .
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:54pmSomeone in SC said it‘s because the farm workers in the fields don’t stop to use the port-a-potties. They urinate on the veggies. EWWWW I know they had a typhoid outbreak in Charleston one year from local strawberries.
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:48pmDuh!1! **** is causing it
Report Post »Spqr1
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:36pmThe answer is beyond obvious: It’s about Red States “small government” nonsense that’s compromised food safety. This is an area where the private sector cannot be relied on. By the time the normal functions of the Market compensate for safety issues, people are already sick, injured, or dead. Another TeaBgger Fail.
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:46pmYou are one sick puppy.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:57pmYou’re full of it! Then why have BO’S MANY FDA regulations on food NOT worked? Too many chiefs and not enough Indians? Try taking the illegal aliens OUT of the mix. I would pay more for that!
Report Post »RLTW
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:59pmDid you just make that up? Yes, yes of course you did, but you should attempt to sell it to the BHO campaign
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:23pmIf you lived before… Johnson & Big Government (the Nanny State)… then you bought food Locally & Knew where it came from. In rural areas… Family drinking water was separate from Guest drinking water. And, people did not rely upon Doctors for most Health issues.
Eat poop & die!
Report Post »encinom
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:19pmHow dare you attempt to bring common sense into the Blaze. Cleary this is a message from God, that the Good Ole Boys in the South haven’t done something that annoys the vain God they worship.
Report Post »sueacworth
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:20pmYou are the biggest idiot!! You should learn to read and educate yourself you left wing troll.
Report Post »Maji
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:39pmCan‘t be red state crap you’re thowing out…otherwise lib‘s wouldn’t be allowed in public!
Report Post »For the food safety aspect you know!
The blue states are some of the nastiest places I know of!!
TexasHunter
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:39pmENCINOM I see you are answering your own remarks again. Or there are actually two people with a combined two brain cells. You libs really need to get a clue. Family farms are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Now you should go eat some pink slime and I will take the steak. ignorantasses.
Report Post »Aharman
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:12pmOh wow… I wonder what is causing all the salmonella outbreaks in BLUE states? Hmmm..
Report Post »UnreconstructedLibertarian
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 10:17pmSPQR1 – you obviously don’t realize that states can no longer initiate food borne illness measures since the “Food Safety and Modernization Act” disembowled the states ability to take action for themselves. I believe this Act was passed by both sides of the aisle.
This, and any other “food problem” will remain a mystery lodged somewhere in the socialist utopia/hell that is FDA. So, if the wheel is turning too slow for you – blame your own damnned idea of centralized government. The states formerly did a fine job and kept infections contained, and should now tell the Feds to take a hike and do so again.
But hey – there is a bright side to this for the Liberals. The same act allows martial law to be selectively imposed in the event of a food emergency of this sort or if “ilegal food exchanges” are taking place (like swapping squash from your garden with a neighbor). I’d be expecting some “Martial” food emergencies in Red States just prior to Novemeber. This is probably a shot over the bow – I’ve been expecting this.
Report Post »Spqr1
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 10:43pmYou’re all idiots. Food handling enforcement is done on the COUNTY level. That’s pretty local. And “martial food emergency?” Do you any notion how delusional and paranoid that sounds? When that doesn’t actually happen, will you re-evaluate your convictions? No, you’ll just make excuses and move on to the next crazy idea that comes along…
Report Post »Spqr1
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 1:16amCome on sheeples, no challenges? Or have you retreated under your Confederate flag blankies?
Report Post »UnreconstructedLibertarian
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 9:55amI work two jobs, and frankly don’t have alot of time right now – but will be back with the goods in my support.
My Confederate flag blankie? Now that’s a good one. Right up there with your hammer and sickle pacifier, comrade.
Report Post »jackact
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:06pm…Illegal aliens?
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:35pm…
Report Post »My guess, all the millions of illegals in our country, handling nearly everything we consume.
DimmuBorgir
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:38pmyou mean you don’t like how they use human crap for fertilizer?
Report Post »h20sue
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:47pmI’ve never seen a Latino wash their hands before ordering in a fast food restaurant! I doubt they wash their hands at all! It doesn’t hurt to wash and use a deluted bleach on veggies (lettuce, collards, kale and loose leaved veggies) This has been used in foreign countries such as Spain, Portugal, etc. for many years. It decreases the eColi chances and will keep your family much healthier. Hot water wilts the veggies, but the deluted bleach will kill eCoil instantly and will not harm you if you wash everything properly.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:37pmIf Mexicans weren’t picking the vegetables they would rot in the ground. It’s happening all over the country! Americans would rather collect welfare or unemployment than do that work. Like it or not, that’s the fact. Don’t blame the Mexicans, they are willing to work. Blame the damned lazy Americans who don’t have any skills or work ethic. We wouldn’t have an illegal alien problem if Americans would “lower themselves” to do manual labor instead of living off the government teet.
Report Post »Spqr1
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:39pmThen the numbers would be up all across the board, not just in the “South”. Bigot Fail!
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:04pmI will grow my OWN veggies whenever I can. I wash the hell out of anything I buy in the stores. If Americans were to work in the fields instead of getting WELFARE checks, it would be easier to communicate clean food handling and expected sanitary behavior. I would pay more for that. REGULATIONS won’t do it, obviously. Give them US workers a decent wage and they will come. :) A bonus would be the illegals would NOT come, which really would be cheaper in the long run.
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