All News / Outbreaks /

Maine discovers its third case of E. coli illness

Maine health officials told Maine Today they have found a third case of a resident becoming sick from the same strain of E. coli bacteria involved in a nationwide outbreak.

The case occurred in late August, the same time that the other two cases in the state occurred, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services said.

Dozens of people around the country have been sickened by spinach that has been contaminated by the bacteria, and one death has been reported. Investigators have traced the contamination back to farms in California.

State officials said the latest case, involving a Kennebec County woman, was not initially uncovered in a review last week of E. coli cases in the state since August 1. The spokesman said the sample from that woman was in a different lab and wasn’t linked to the review and genetically matched until Wednesday. 



The E. coli in all three samples matches the genetic fingerprint of the bacteria involved in the nationwide outbreak, state health officials said. The other two Maine cases were in Kennebec and Aroostook counties. 

All three of those sickened have recovered.

Get Help

Affected by an outbreak or recall?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

Get a free consultation
Related Resources
E. coli Food Poisoning

What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so...

E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in...

Non-O157 STEC

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least...

Sources of E. coli

Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are...

Transmission of and Infection with E. coli

While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination...

Outbreak Database

Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

View Outbreak Database