--- title: "Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in the Midwest Spurs Ground Beef Recall" date: 2009-05-21T19:18:00-07:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreak-of-e-coli-o157h7-in-the-midwest-spurs-ground-beef-recall" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) / # Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in the Midwest Spurs Ground Beef Recall *E. coli* illnesses in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois have led health investigators to ground beef produced by Valley Meats, LLC of Coal Valley, IL. The company has initiated a recall of 95,898 pounds of ground beef product that is possibly contaminated with *E. coli* O157:H7. “*E. coli* in ground beef has been so prevalent in the last two years that it’s estimated that the consumer has a one in 400 chance of buying a product that might make them very sick,” said food safety advocate and attorney William Marler. “In 2006, it seemed that the meat industry had gotten a handle on *E. coli* recalls, but with 41 million pounds recalled since then, that is clearly not the case.” Many benign strains of *E. coli (Escherichia coli)* live in the intestinal tracts of humans and other mammals. Infection with one of the toxic strains, most notably E. coli O157:H7, can cause serious illness, organ failure, and even death. *E. coli* is often contracted by consuming food or beverage that has been contaminated by animal (especially cattle) manure. The majority of foodborne *E. coli* outbreaks has been traced to ground beef; however leafy vegetables, sprouts, unpasteurized dairy or juice products or even water can become tainted with the pathogen. The first symptom of *E. coli* infection is the onset of abdominal pain and severe cramps, followed within 24 hours by diarrhea, often bloody. This is hemorrhagic colitis, and it typically occurs within 2 to 5 days of ingestion of *E. coli;* however the incubation period—the time between the ingestion of *E. coli* bacteria and the onset of illness—may be as broad as 1 to 10 days. “If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it is critical to visit your healthcare provider, because an *E. coli* infection can make you very, very sick,” Marler continued. “In some instances *E. coli* infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a cause of acute kidney failure, so make sure you know what you’re dealing with.” ### Other E. coli Lawsuits [Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [10 with E. coli linked to Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [Sycamore Pool in Chico California Contaminated with E.coli - Two teens in 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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 ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/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](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) 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](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/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](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/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](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/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 ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)