Foodborne Illnesses / E. coli /

E. coli Outbreak in Tennessee and Virginia

An onslaught of multiple strains of E. coli has sickened 15 people in Tennessee and two children from Virginia. The children - brother and sister- were both hospitalized, and while the 5-year old boy recovered, the 2-year old girl died from complications associated with her E. coli infection. Health officials have yet to link any of the cases to a common source, but have determined that three separate strains are responsible for the outbreak: E. coli O157:H7, E. coli O103 and E. coli O169. Though none of the cases have been technically connected, health officials are treating them as part of an outbreak due to the time proximitiy in which they occured.

Many types of Dangerous E. coli

Though E. coli O157:H7 is traditionally what we think of when it comes to E. coli, there are many other strains that can be dangerous to humans. However the U.S. currently only regulates the O157:H7 strain. In 2009 Marler Clark filed a petition with the United States Department of Agriculture to declare all dangerous strains of E. coli to be adulterants – and therefore be banned from our food supply. The petition has yet to be fulfilled.

E. coli Infection & Symptoms

The symptoms of an E. coli infection are typically vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and sometimes fever. Though these symptoms often resolve in a number of days, a life threatening complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) may occur. HUS causes acute kidney failure and may lead to death.

Contact the Marler Clark E. coli Attorneys

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection after consuming contaminated food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, you can contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation. Marler Clark is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and other foodborne illnesses. The law firm has represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections, and is the only firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. You can fill out the contact form or call toll-free at 866-770-2032. There is no cost to you.

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