The origin of the outbreak is unknown and remains under investigation. The CDC did not limit the warning to romaine from any particular agricultural area. A common strain of E.coli was detected in six of the sickened people.
Five people died in the most recent major outbreak from contaminated romaine, which lasted from March to June of this year and led to 210 cases in 36 states. That outbreak was traced to the Yuma, Ariz. growing region, but investigators never conclusively determined the precise source.
The latest outbreak is from a strain that has the same genetic fingerprint as the one that caused an outbreak of illnesses from leafy greens late last year in both the U.S. and Canada. That outbreak was declared over in January.
All three outbreaks — the current one, the one from Yuma and the one from last year — are caused by contamination of E. coli O157:H7. It produces a Shiga toxin that can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure. Until the 1990s, most E. coli cases in humans came from eating contaminated hamburger. In more recent years, after reforms in the livestock industry, the outbreaks have been most often associated with leafy greens.
“In more recent years, after reforms in the livestock industry, the outbreaks have been most often associated with leafy greens.”
Gotta remember this excuse when people tell me I should eat more salad.
Terrorism?
The article also points out that one gets sick 3 to 4 days after eating contaminated greens. I wonder if they can be safe by cooking in soup or stew? Two people in Maryland I know have been sick with those symptoms, but not sick enough to be hospitalized. Maryland has had at least one reported case. I also heard a report about norovirus in that area.