Published Date: 2012-04-14 20:36:52
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli EHEC - USA (09): (OR) O157, unpasteurized milk
Archive Number: 20120414.1101363

E. COLI EHEC - USA (09): (OREGON) O157, UNPASTEURIZED MILK
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Date: Fri 13 Apr 2012
Source: KTVZ [edited]
http://www.ktvz.com/news/30889503/detail.html

The Oregon Public Health Division, Department of Agriculture and several local health departments are investigating an outbreak of _E._ coli O157:H7 infections that have left 3 Portland-area children hospitalized, 2 with kidney failure, all of whom drank raw milk from the same small farm, officials said Friday, 13 Apr 2012.

3 of the 4 children with laboratory-confirmed infections have been hospitalized. All of the children consumed raw unpasteurized milk obtained from Foundation Farm in Clackamas County. The farm has voluntarily ceased its milk distribution.
The investigation is ongoing, officials said. Customers of this small farm's milk are being notified to discard their milk. Others who may have raw milk from this farm should not drink this milk and should dispose of the milk, they said.

2 of the hospitalized children, all of whom are under the age of 15, have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure [and a known complication of this infection - Mod. LL]. Other customers of this dairy are reporting recent diarrhea and other symptoms typical of _E. coli_ O157 infections.

"Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria that can make you very sick or kill you. Pasteurized milk has many health benefits. Raw milk is not any healthier than pasteurized milk and can carry illness-causing bacteria," said Katrina Hedberg, M.D., M.P.H., Oregon Public Health Division state epidemiologist.

Public health officials advise against drinking unpasteurized milk. While it is possible to get foodborne illnesses from many different foods, raw milk is one of the riskiest of all, according to the CDC. Milk from Foundation Farm and raw cow's milk in general is not allowed to be sold in retail stores in Oregon. The dairy only distributed to 48 households that were part of a herd-share, in which people contract to take ownership of a portion of a herd or individual animals.

State and local public health officials in Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties are investigating these cases, including interviewing customers and family members of those infected. Officials are advising that any containers, surfaces or other items that may have come in contact with this milk or other products from this farm should be cleaned and sanitized with bleach or other disinfectants.

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[This cluster has been reported a week after another cluster of enterohemorrhagic _E. coli_ O157:H7 infection from unpasteurized milk in Missouri. The Oregon cases appear to be related to a herd-share where the unpasteurized milk is not actually sold but rather the families own all or part of individual cows to get around legal restrictions in selling the unpasteurized milk itself.

_E. coli_ O157 is only one of many pathogens readily transmitted through the ingestion of unpasteurized milk or dairy products produced from it. Pasteurization will prevent this. - Mod. LL

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1fWb.]

See Also

E. coli EHEC - USA (08): (MO) O157, unpasteurized dairy susp. ..........................
E. coli EHEC - USA (07): (MO) O157, unpasteurized dairy susp. 20120411.1097111

E. coli EHEC - USA (06): (MO) O157, unpasteurized dairy susp. 20120410.1095960
E. coli EHEC - USA (05): (MO) O157 20120409.1094596
E. coli EHEC - USA (04): O26, clover sprouts 20120310.1066813
E. coli EHEC - USA (03): O26, clover sprouts 20120228.1055451
E. coli EHEC - USA (02): O26, clover sprouts 20120216.1042997
E. coli EHEC - USA: (MI) food handler 20120117.1013132
E. coli EHEC - Europe: (France, Germany, Denmark) O104 20120126.1022870
E. coli EHEC, 2011 - USA: (CA), raw milk, environmental source 20120122.1017852
E. coli EHEC, 2010 - USA: (MN) non-O157 venison kabob 20120117.1013136
2011
----
E. coli VTEC - USA (13): (MO) O157, more states, lettuce 20111210.3560
E. coli VTEC - USA (12): (MO), O157 20111111.3344
E. coli VTEC - USA (11): (NC) O157, livestock building 20111110.3334
E. coli VTEC - USA (10): (NC) fair link, more cases 20111103.3281
E. coli VTEC - USA (09): (MO), O157, poss. produce link 20111103.3276
E. coli VTEC - USA (08): (MO), O157, poss. produce link 20111101.3246
E. coli VTEC - USA (07): (NC), fair link 20111101.3244
E. coli VTEC - USA (06): (MO), O157, poss. produce link 20111029.3224
E. coli VTEC - USA (05): (NC) more cases 20111029.3222
E. coli VTEC - USA (04): (NC) more cases 20111027.3201
E. coli VTEC - USA (03): (MO) RFI 20111027.3195
E. coli VTEC - USA (02):(NC), possible fair link 20111027.3193
E. coli VTEC - USA: (NC) RFI 20111026.3184
E. coli O157 - USA (08): (WI) more cases 20111016.3101
E. coli O157 - USA (07): (WI) 20110915.2819
E. coli O104 - EU (36): intervention strategies 20110827.2617
E. coli O157 - USA (06): (OR) strawberry, deer dropping source 20110819.2520
E. coli O157 - USA (05): (PA) lake swimming 20110817.2493
E. coli O157 - USA (04): (PA) lake swimming 20110810.2428
E. coli O157 - USA (03): (OR) strawberry 20110809.2413
E. coli O157 - USA (02): (AL) water park 20110629.1981
E. coli O104 - EU (10): USA commentary 20110605.1718
E. coli O104 - EU: (Germany, Denmark, Sweden) Spanish cucumbers 20110526.1611
E. coli O157 - USA: Lebanon bologna, alert, recall 20110325.0946
E. coli O157 - North America: hazelnut, alert, recall 20110310.0777
2010
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E. coli O157 - USA (07): cheese 20101105.4007
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (07): O26, ground beef, alert, recall 20100831.3097
E. coli O157 - USA (06): ground beef, alert, recall 20100809.2715
E. coli O157 - USA (05): (CO, NY), bison meat, alert, recall 20100709.2286
E. coli O157 - USA (04): (MN) unpasteurized milk 20100607.1900
E. coli O157 - USA (03): (MN) unpasteurized milk 20100528.1776
E. coli O157 - USA (02): (WA), day care 20100413.1200
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (02): (OH, MI, NY) O145 20100505.1460
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA: (MI, OH) 20100427.1358
E. coli O157 - USA: 2009, tenderized non-intact steak 20100108.0092
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