Source Of NJ E.Coli Outbreak ID'd As Cases Reported In 4 Counties

Chopped romaine lettuce grown in the Yuma, Ariz. region has been identified as the likely source of the nationwide E. coli outbreak that spread into 11 states with 35 total reported cases, including seven in New Jersey, according to the health officials.

The number of cases and states affected by the E. Coli O157:H7 outbreak has grown since Patch first reported about it last week. Cases have been reported by New Jersey residents in four counties, including Hunterdon, Somerset, Monmouth and Sussex.

The NJ Department of Health initially began the investigation looking at four counties including Somerset, Middlesex, Warren and Hunterdon. The Department of Health says it's still investigating whether the Middlesex and Warren cases are part of the same strain.

The investigation then expanded to a multistate issue with the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service taking over. (See Related: NJ E. Coli Cases Part Of Nationwide Outbreak, CDC Says)

In a news release issued Friday, the state DOH said there were four cases in Hunterdon County and one each in Monmouth, Sussex and Somerset counties.

The CDC investigation revealed most people who fell ill reported eating a salad at a restaurant, and romaine lettuce was the only common ingredient identified among the salads eaten. The restaurants in question said they used bagged, chopped romaine lettuce to make the salads.

The CDC has not identified a grower, supplier, distributor, or brand. The Warren County Health Department had previously said New Jersey had E. coli cases that potentially originated from "local Panera Breads," but it's unknown if all the cases are related (See Related: Panera Bread Possible Culprit In E. Coli Cases In 4 NJ Counties)

The CDC is warning consumers who bought romaine lettuce – including salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce – should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick.

"If you don’t know if the lettuce is romaine, throw it away," the CDC reported. "Before purchasing romaine lettuce at a grocery store or eating it at a restaurant, consumers should confirm with the store or restaurant that the romaine lettuce did not come from the Yuma, Arizona growing region."

Other states now reporting cases include Connecticut, Idaho, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, Washington and New York. Pennsylvania has the highest, reporting nine cases, followed by Idaho with eight cases and New Jersey with seven, according to the CDC.

People usually get sick from E.coli between two and eight days after swallowing the germ. Symptoms include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover within one week, according to federal health officials.

Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe, resulting in a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, the CDC warns. "HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in young children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems."

Three people who were sickened in this outbreak have developed HUS, the CDC said.

Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination.People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

The CDC advises that anyone who has symptoms of E.coli should write down what they ate in the week before they became sick. The illness should be reported to the local health department.

The CDC offers these tips to avoid exposure to the bacteria:

• Wash your hands. Wash hands after using the restroom or changing diapers, before and after preparing or eating food, and after contact with animals.
• Cook meats thoroughly to kill harmful germs. Cook steaks and roasts to at least 145˚F and let rest for 3 minutes after you remove meat from the grill or stove. Cook ground beef and pork to at least 160˚F. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the meat.
• Don't cross-contaminate food preparation areas. Thoroughly wash hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat.
• Wash fruits and vegetables before eating, unless the package says the contents have been washed.
• Avoid raw milk, other unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices.
• Don't prepare food or drink for others when you are sick.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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