6 Children Hospitalized In Cluster Of King County E. Coli Cases

KING COUNTY, WA — A cluster of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli cases has sickened at least seven King County children, with six requiring hospitalization, public health officials announced Wednesday.

The illnesses, also known as STEC, were identified between April 22 and May 1 in children under 14 years old, officials said. Three of the children are younger than five years old. Public health officials said the origins of the infections are unknown, with no obvious link to specific foods, restaurants, or other common culprits. Public Health - Seattle & King County is working to determine the cause and whether the seven children were sickened from the same source.

Officials did not disclose where the seven cases occurred, but a public health spokesperson told Patch there were more on the Eastside than elsewhere.

Shiga-producing E. coli strains can cause serious illnesses, and infections can occur in several ways.

Common STEC risks:

• Consuming undercooked ground beef, or unpasteurized milk, cheese and juice.
• Eating contaminated fruits, vegetables, sprouts and herbs.
• Drinking water contaminated with animal feces, or direct contact with farm animals.
• Ready-to-eat foods contaminated by contact with raw beef in kitchens.

Unpleasant symptoms of STEC infections can include prolonged bouts of diarrhea, often containing blood, stomach cramps and fevers. Public health officials said symptoms generally clear within a week, but patients can continue to spread the bacteria and shed STEC for up to three weeks. A portion of patients diagnosed with STEC can develop life-threatening complications, including hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which affects the kidneys. Officials said one child in the cluster is recovering from HUS, and a second child has a suspected case.

Public health investigators are continuing to interview families and look for links in the recent infections. The Washington State Public Health Laboratory is performing genome sequencing on the seven cases, which will help determine whether all the children share the same strain.

Public Health - Seattle & King County is asking families to contact their health care providers if their children begin to show concerning signs.

"If you or your child develop painful or bloody diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days or is accompanied by a high fever or decreased urine, contact your healthcare provider to see if testing for STEC is indicated. STEC and other foodborne infections occur throughout the year but may increase in frequency during late spring and summer months. Anyone ill with suspected or known STEC should not work in or attend childcare or preschool, or work in food handling or healthcare until cleared by Public Health."

County health experts have also assembled a list of good practices to reduce the risks of accidentally getting STEC:

• Avoid eating high-risk foods, especially undercooked ground beef and other beef products, unpasteurized (raw) milk or juice or cheese, and raw sprouts.
• Wash hands with soap and water before preparing food for yourself or your children, before eating food, after going to the bathroom or changing diapers, and after contact with cows, sheep, or goats, their food or treats, or their living environment.
• If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol (check the product label to be sure). These alcohol-based products can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and running water.
• Thoroughly wash fresh produce before eating.
• Wash cutting boards and counters used for meat or poultry preparation immediately after use to avoid cross-contaminating other foods.
• Cook all meats thoroughly, especially ground beef. Use a food thermometer to make sure meats have reached a safe internal temperature.
  • Cook ground beef and pork to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F.
  • Cook beef steaks and roasts to an internal temperature of at least 145°F and allow to rest for 3 minutes after you remove meat from the grill or stove.

Learn more about the E. coli cluster and find the latest updates in the investigation on the public health website.