Ground Beef Possible Source Of Virginia E.Coli Outbreak: CDC

VIRGINIA — Federal health officials now believe that ground beef is the source of an E. coli O103 outbreak in Virginia and five other states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. The latest CDC information indicates a total of 109 people are infected with the outbreak strain as of Friday. Two cases have been confirmed in Virginia, and 109 people have been sickened nationwide; investigators said they expected the number of cases to continue to increase. No deaths have been reported.

Escherichia coli, abbreviated as E. coli, is a bacteria found in the environment, foods and intestines of people and animals, according to the CDC. Most strains are harmless, but some can cause people to fall ill and experience diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, pneumonia and more.

The other states with cases of the outbreak are: Kentucky with 54, Ohio with 7, Tennessee with 28, Indiana with 1, and Georgia with 17.

Symptoms of the illness vary from person to person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting, according to health officials. Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high. Some infections are mild while others may be severe or life-threatening. The CDC warns that about 5-10 percent of people develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure.

Most people become ill about three to four days after consuming something that contains the bacteria but illnesses can start anywhere between one to 10 days after exposure, the CDC says.

According to the CDC:

• No cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, have been reported.
• Preliminary epidemiologic information suggests that ground beef is the source of this outbreak.
  • Ill people in this outbreak report eating ground beef at home and in restaurants.
  • Traceback investigations are ongoing to determine the source of ground beef supplied to grocery stores and restaurant locations where ill people ate.
• At this time, no common supplier, distributor, or brand of ground beef has been identified.
• CDC is not recommending that consumers avoid eating ground beef at this time. Consumers and restaurants should handle ground beef safely and cook it thoroughly to avoid food borne illness.
• At this time, CDC is not recommending that retailers stop serving or selling ground beef.

Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers

Consumers and restaurants should always handle and cook ground beef safely to avoid food borne illness. Thoroughly cook ground beef and any food that contains ground beef to kill germs.
Wash hands with soap and water after touching raw ground beef. Use hot, soapy water or a bleach solution to wash kitchen items that touched raw meat.

• Handling ground beef:
  • Keep raw meat separate from foods that won't be cooked before eating.
  • Wash hands with soap and water after touching raw meat and before touching other kitchen items.
  • Thoroughly wash countertops, cutting boards, plates, and utensils with hot, soapy water or a bleach solution after they touch raw meat to avoid contaminating other foods and items in your kitchen.
• Cooking ground beef:
  • Don't eat raw or undercooked ground beef.
  • Cook ground beef hamburgers and mixtures such as meatloaf to 160°F internal temperature. Use a food thermometer to make sure the meat has reached a safe internal temperature. You can't tell whether meat is safely cooked by looking at it.
    • For hamburgers, insert thermometer through the side of the patty until it reaches the middle.
    • Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat for foods like meatloaf.
    • For casseroles and for sauces that contain ground beef, such as spaghetti sauce or sloppy joe, check the temperature in several places.
  • When ordering at a restaurant, ask that ground beef hamburgers and mixtures be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160°F.
• Storing ground beef:
  • Refrigerate or freeze raw ground beef within two hours after purchase.
  • If you refrigerate raw ground beef, use within 1 or 2 days.
  • Store ground beef in a plastic bag on the lowest shelf of your refrigerator.
  • If you break large packages of ground beef into smaller packages for freezing, wash hands with soap and water after touching the meat or its packaging, and before touching other surfaces.
    • Use hot, soapy water to clean the area where you divided the ground beef, including kitchen counters and utensils.
    • Label your packages with the date they were placed in the freezer and where you purchased the ground beef.
• Thawing ground beef:
  • The best way to safely thaw ground beef is in the refrigerator. Cook or refreeze within 1 or 2 days.

For more information about how to handle ground beef safely, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-888-674-6854).

Take action if you have symptoms of an E. coli infection:

• Talk to your healthcare provider.
• Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
• Report your illness to the health department.
• Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

Symptoms of E. coli Infection

• People usually get sick from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) 3–4 days after swallowing the germ.
• Symptoms often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting, and usually lasts 5-7 days.
• Some people with a STEC infection may get a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.