E. Coli Outbreak Sickens 196, Including In Florida: CDC

FLORIDA — Health officials say 196 people across 10 states have been sickened by a strain of E. coli that is believed to have come from ground beef, and all of it may not have been recalled. Two companies have recalled thousands of pounds of meat, and authorities warn more contaminated meat may still be on the market or in people's freezers.

Escherichia coli, abbreviated as E. coli, are bacteria found in the environment, food and intestines of people and animals. While most strains are harmless, others can cause intestinal infections that result in severe abdominal pain, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), nausea, vomiting and dehydration.

Eating undercooked beef — especially ground beef — or consuming unpasteurized milk can lead to E. coli. Usually the infection spreads when people eat E. coli-infected animals or food that is contaminated by the feces of an infected animal or person.

Of the 196 reported E. coli infections in the latest outbreak, 69 were in Kentucky, 55 were in Tennessee and 49 were in Georgia. Ohio had 12, Florida had five and Virginia had two, while Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and Mississippi each had a single case, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of cases in Florida has more than doubled since the last report at the end of April, when there were two cases.

So far, 21 people had to be hospitalized, and two cases of kidney failure have been reported across the U.S. No deaths have been reported.

Here's the CDC's advice for those with symptoms of E. coli:

• Talk to your health care provider.
• Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
• Report your illness to the health department.

While two companies have recalled nearly 170,000 pounds of raw ground beef, health officials say more meat out there may be contaminated.

"At this time, no common supplier, distributor, or brand of ground beef has been identified that could account for the whole outbreak," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week. "Other products may be recalled."

Grant Park Packing in Franklin Park recalled about 53,000 pounds of raw ground beef in April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

• The Grant Park beef was distributed in bulk and produced Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, health officials said. The beef came in 40-pound cardboard boxes labeled "North Star Imports & Sales, LLC. 100% GROUND BEEF BULK 80% LEAN/ 20% FAT."
• The boxes were marked "FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY" with lot code GP.1051.18. The recalled products have the establishment number "EST. 21781" inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were shipped to Minnesota for further distribution and Kentucky for institutional use.

K2D Foods, doing business as Colorado Premium Foods, in Carrollton, Georgia, recalled about 113,000 pounds of raw ground beef.

• The K2D recalled products were sold in two 24-pound vacuum-sealed packages in cardboard boxes containing raw "GROUND BEEF PUCK" with use by dates of April 14, April 17, April 20, April 23, April 28 and April 30.
• Recalled products were labeled with the establishment number "EST. 51308" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Federal health officials have been investigating the outbreak along with the Kentucky health officials. Unopened and intact packages of beef they collected tested positive for E. coli O103, the recall notice said. The sample was taken from a point of service where multiple infected patients ate.

The CDC suggests these measures to prevent E. coli contamination:

• Wash your hands after using the restroom or changing diapers, before and after preparing or eating food, and after contact with animals.
• Cook meats thoroughly to kill harmful germs. Cook steaks and roasts to at least 145˚F and let rest for 3 minutes after you remove meat from the grill or stove. Cook ground beef and pork to at least 160˚F. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the meat.
• Don't cross-contaminate food preparation areas. Thoroughly wash hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat.
• Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, unless the package says the contents have been washed.
• Avoid raw milk, other unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices.
• Don't prepare food or drink for others when you are sick.

Patch editor Deb Belt contributed to this report.