Six people who have come down with symptoms of E. coli in Massachusetts may have become sickened through eating beef products. Investigators have said this is the same bacterial strain that has been found in other patients across the country, and in Quebec.
Massachusetts health officials and investigators from the USDA are focusing on ground beef as a possible source of contamination, and are currently collecting samples from several stores. Dr. Bela Matyas of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, believes that for every person hospitalized, there are many more who have been sickened, but not hospitalized. Dr. Maytas also stated that the strain, E. coli 0157, can cause serious illness. The Massachusetts Department of Health is reminding the public to cook their meat completely to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the bacteria.
A federal foodborne illness surveillance program called PulseNet makes it possible to test DNA and compare results from across the country. This program is what helped find the link between the Massachusetts cases and those in at least 20 other states.
E. coli 0157 can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and kidney failure. The young, elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at the most risk.
If you or a loved one has been sickened by contaminated food, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.
