Caution urged after E. coli outbreak

NY Daily News ^ | July 24th 2007 | NA

[neverdem]

ASSOCIATED PRESS

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. - Health officials on eastern Long Island are warning consumers to cook ground beef products thoroughly after seven people became infected with E. coli contamination in the early weeks of the summer.

All seven patients, including an 8-year-old North Carolina girl who was hospitalized after her kidneys shut down, are now recovering, Dr. Humayun J. Chaudhry, the Suffolk County health commissioner, said Tuesday.

Chaudhry stressed no specific brand of ground beef has been identified; it was purchased at various locations around Long Island. He also said the majority of those who became ill between June 9 and July 3 were believed to have eaten the beef products at local barbecues and not at restaurants.

He said federal and local health officials are continuing to investigate, but preliminary findings suggest the E. coli O157 contamination is not specific to Suffolk.

An analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found two of the Suffolk cases match E. coli contamination cases in Minnesota and California, and one Suffolk case matches an outbreak identified in Michigan.

The fourth Suffolk case is a newly identified type not seen before in the United States.

E. coli are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of humans and animals. Although most strains of the bacteria are harmless, several are known to produce toxins. The bacteria live in the intestines of some healthy cattle and contamination of the meat may occur in the slaughtering process. Person-to-person transmission can occur if infected people do not wash their hands after using the toilet.

Chaudhry said it is still safe to eat ground beef products if the food is cooked to a minimum of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

[Squantos]

Rare is bad............?

[angelcindy]

I’m so sick of this...

[neverdem]

Rare is bad............?

IMHO, yes. Get a food thermometer. Cook to 160 degrees F. I went to school with Chaudhry.

[neverdem]

FDA says food recall is urgent health threat (Illness spreading)

Botulism

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[BfloGuy]

Chinese beef no doubt — this is getting series.

[raybbr]

Any information on Helicobacter Pylori would be greatly appreciated. I have been diagnosed with it and information is pretty vague as to its source and how it’s transmitted.

[Snoopers-868th]

I had it maybe 10 years ago. Heavy antibiotic and bismuth treatment. It took care of mine but my spouse had to take it twice. I don’t think they knew where it came from. It is what was determined to be the cause of ulcers if I am not mistaken. It gave me unbearable indigestion and bloating. After eating soup I felt I had eaten a banquet. Have you been treated yet?

[neverdem]

Go to the botulism link, then click on the “H-Hf” link.

[raybbr]

I was treated a year ago. I never went back for the breath test. I just went back last week and was tested positive again. I am in the middle of the treatment with the Previpak.

I too, would eat a can of soup and start burping for ten minutes. It was terrible. I started getting symptons again and that forced me to get the breath test.

[Snoopers-868th]

I live in Michigan and the only place the breath test was given (10 years ago) was at U of Mich. At that time we both were part of a study and had the breath test. That is how we knew my spouse had to do another round of antibiotic. The breath test is the only thing if I remember that is assurance it was cured. The blood test shows you have the antibody if you have ever had H-Pylori. At least this is what I remember. I had to go for 5 years before a Dr. finally did the simple blood test. It was miserable. My spouse for years had terrible stomach pains at times. The hospital kind of pain. It was not until mine was discovered that I insisted we both go to U of Mich. Contagious, who knows? Indigestion is a symptom not a disease and it irritates me that Dr's are so quick to pass out the purple pill. They tried to tell me I had GURD--funny it all disappeared after treatment.

[raybbr]

I was sure I had GURD. I never went to a doctor for it. I don't even remember where I read about H. Pylori.

It really is a nast thing. I have two young children and my wife and I are wondering if we should get them tested.

[Snoopers-868th]

I wouldn’t hesitate to have them tested. The blood test is cheap. Where did you get the breath test? Was it at your Dr?

[raybbr]

It was through the doctor at a Quest Labs. That's a place here that does all kinds of testing - blood and breath, etc.

I have to go back to see my Dr. after the course of meds. I suspect he's going to give me a test. But I think you have to wait 30days if I remember correctly, after the antibiotics. The antibiotics are bad enough. Gas and loose BM's. I have started eating yogurt for the acidopholous to restore some good bacteria.

Good night and God bless for now. I HAVE to get some sleep.