Lettuce Recall….

As the FDA announces a voluntary recall of lettuce from Freshway Foods, we find ourselves at the heart of another E. coli outbreak. The interesting thing is that this time, it is not E. coli O157:H7 which is causing the food poisoning outbreak. It is another E. coli, E. coli O145 which has lead to these foodborne illnesses. E. coli O145 has many similarities to E. coli O157:H7. Both strains of E. coli are Shiga toxin producing. That means these bacteria actually produce a toxin known as Shiga toxin. These strains of E. coli have been referred to as enterohemmorhagic or verocytotoxin, VTEC for short. Although E. coli O157:H7 is more common and therefore probably better understood, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention lists other strains of E. coli which also produce Shiga toxins. Other E. coli Shiga toxin producing forms include O145, O26, O111, and O103.

Shiga toxin producing E. coli are of such great concern because they can lead to bloody diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps. Vomiting and fever of approximately 101 degrees are also common symptoms associated with these forms of E. coli poisoning. More seriously, Shiga toxin producing E. coli can lead to fatal but very rare complications including Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome can cause kidney failure and is usually signaled by decreased urination. Signs of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) often begin a week after the E. coli symptoms have occurred. This is usually when a person is beginning to feel better.

According to WebMD news, 19 individuals have contracted E. coli O145 in a multi-state foodborne illness outbreak. Three cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) have appeared. Although still under investigation, the Freshway Foods recall maybe linked to the E. coli O145 cases in Ohio, Michigan, and New York. The CDC and FDA are investigating the outbreaks and attempting to determine the source.