--- title: E. coli O103 Outbreak linked to Ground Beef date: 2019-03-29T15:27:00-07:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-o103-outbreak-in-kentucky-ohio-indiana-and-tennessee" section: Litigation Landing Pages --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) / # E. coli O103 Outbreak linked to Ground Beef E. coli outbreak linked to ground beef. At this time there is no common supplier, distributer, or brand of ground beef identified as the cause of outbreak. CDC, several states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O103 infections. This investigation includes E. coli O103 infections recently reported by the Kentucky Department of Public Health. Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on E. coli bacteria isolated from ill people by using techniques called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). CDC PulseNet manages a national database of these DNA fingerprints to identify possible outbreaks. WGS gives a more detailed DNA fingerprint than PFGE. WGS performed on E. coli from ill people in this outbreak showed that they are closely related genetically. This means that the ill people are more likely to share a common source of infection. As of May 13, 2019, 196 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 have been reported from ten states – Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. CDC is reporting the 196 illnesses that PulseNet has confirmed are part of this outbreak. States are investigating additional illnesses that might be a part of this outbreak. Illnesses started on dates from March 1, 2019, to April 19, 2019. Ill people range in age from 1 to 84 years, with a median age of 19. Fifty-two percent are female. Of 174 people with information available, 28 (16%) have been hospitalized. No deaths and two cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) have been reported. People generally become ill two to five days after consuming tainted food, according to the department. Symptoms of infection include stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is sometimes bloody. It’s also possible to develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The condition requires hospitalization because the kidneys may stop working, according to the CDC. “Clues that a person is developing HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired and losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids,” the CDC notes. “Most persons with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent damage or die.” Outbreaks of E. coli O103 are rare. From the CDC NORS dataset: YearStateTransmissionSerotypeSettingIllnesses2000WashingtonFoodO103Caterer (food prepared off-site from where served); Other182010MinnesotaFoodO103:H2; O145:NMSchool/college/university292011WisconsinAnimal ContactO103; O157:H762013MinnesotaPerson-to-personO103Child day care32013PennsylvaniaIndeterminateO103:H2Private home/residence22014OhioIndeterminateO103Child day care32014MultistateFoodO103:H2Restaurant – other or unknown type122014OhioIndeterminateO103; O157:H7; O146:H21Private home/residence42015MultistateFoodO103Restaurant – other or unknown type42015OhioPerson-to-personO103School/college/university62015MultistateFoodO103Restaurant – other or unknown type62015KansasPerson-to-personO103Child day care122015North CarolinaPerson-to-personO103Child day care202015VirginiaPerson-to-personO103:H2Prison/jail42015OhioIndeterminateO103Child day care52016OhioIndeterminateO103Other, specify72017OhioPerson-to-personO103Child day care42017OregonFoodO103Other13[Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm](http://www.marlerclark.com/), is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and [hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)](http://www.about-hus.com/). The [E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark](http://www.marlerclark.com/practice_areas/view/e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-litigation) have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $650 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as [Brianne Kiner](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/health/28excerpt.html), [Stephanie Smith](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all) and [Linda Rivera](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/31/AR2009083103922.html). If you or a family member became ill with an [E. coli](http://www.about-ecoli.com/) infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation. ### E. coli outbreaks and recalls August 23, 2023 ###### [Listeria outbreak: Three die after drinking contaminated milkshakes](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/listeria-outbreak-three-die-after-drinking-contaminated-milkshakes) Three people have died, and three others are in hospital after drinking milkshakes contaminated with listeria bacteria in the US state of Washington, health officials … July 12, 2023 ###### [2011 Listeria outbreaks linked to cantaloupes: A history](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/2011-listeria-outbreak-linked-to-cantaloupes-a-history) A total of 148 persons infected with any of the five outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes were reported to the CDC from 28 states. The … May 20, 2023 ###### [A quick look at the 2018 Hepatitis A outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/a-quick-look-at-the-2018-hepatitis-a-outbreak) Litigation proceeded in a Virginia state court against Tropical Smoothie and the strawberry supply chain. 134 people with Hepatitis A were reported from nine states … [1. View all ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) ## All E. coli Resources [###### E. coli Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) [###### E. coli O157:H7 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) [###### Non-O157 STEC ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) [###### Sources of E. coli ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) [###### Transmission of and Infection with E. coli ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) [###### Symptoms of E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/symptoms-of-e-coli-infection) [###### Complications of E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/complications-of-e-coli-infection) [###### Treatment for E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/treatment-for-e-coli-infection) [###### How is E. coli Infection Diagnosed? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/how-is-e-coli-infection-diagnosed) [###### Preventing E. coli Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/preventing-e-coli-infection) [###### E. coli Outbreaks ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-outbreaks) [###### Real Life Impacts of E. coli Infection and HUS ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/real-life-impacts-of-e-coli-infection-and-hus) [###### E. coli Recalls ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-recalls) [###### References ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/references) ### Other foodborne illnesses [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)