All News / Outbreaks /

Nearly 4,180 Sickened in E. coli O104:H4 Outbreak

Food Safety News

by Mary Rothschild | Jul 05, 2011

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported Monday that the European toll in the outbreak of E. coli O104:H4 in Germany and France linked to sprouts had risen to 4,173 illnesses and 49 deaths.

Those numbers include 892 hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) cases, according to ECDC.

A single lot of fenugreek seeds -- lot number 48088 -- from an Egyptian exporter appears to be the common link between the German and French outbreaks, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reported Tuesday, even though microbiological tests carried out on the seeds have thus far been negative.

Still, those test results "cannot be interpreted as proof that a batch is not contaminated" with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, the EFSA report stated. Given that other lots may be implicated, and because exposure to a small quantity of the seeds can have a "severe health impact," the food-safety authority is recommending that all lots of fenugreek from the identified (but unnamed) exporter should be considered suspect.

Since its last July 1 update, the health authority said Germany had reported no additional cases of HUS, but 48 additional non-HUS E. coli infections.

Continue reading, "Nearly 4,180 Sickened in E. coli O104:H4 Outbreak" at Food Safety News.

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