An E. coli outbreak is an incident in which 2 or more cases of E. coli result from the same source. To determine if 2 or more people contracted E. coli from the same source, health officials conduct DNA fingerprinting of E. coli isolates from the victims’ stool samples. Health officials then compare the DNA fingerprints, looking for similarities. E. coli victims sickened by genetically similar E. coli bacteria contracted the E. coli from the same source.
E. coli outbreaks are often foodborne. Food can cause E. coli outbreaks when the food is contaminated internally or becomes contaminated during harvesting, processing, or preparation. When there is a foodborne E. coli outbreak, public health scientists use epidemiological, microbiological, and trace-back technologies to control the outbreak and remove the food from the distribution channels.
In some cases, an E. coli outbreak is linked to a restaurant, deli, or other establishment that serves food. Even if the food product that caused the illnesses is not found, victims of the E. coli outbreak can pursue a claim against the eating establishment. In a recent foodborne illness case handled by our firm, health officials linked the illness to a restaurant but could not pinpoint the food that caused the illness. Epidemiological evidence pointed to the source of the outbreak being one of several possible food items. Even so, we obtained a settlement for our clients.
To contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.
