BOSTON – The Mass. Department of Public Health said it is investigating seven cases of Escherichia coli (usually abbreviated as E. coli) infections in state residents that appear to be caused by the same strain of the bacteria that has been found in patients from several other states.
The source of contamination had not been identified as of Thursday, but officials said it might be linked to the consumption of beef products. State officials and investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were working together to identify a possible source, focusing on ground beef samples collected from several stores.
“Initial investigations suggest ground beef from Whole Foods Market as the likely source of contamination,” the R.I. Department of Health announced on Friday. Suspect are ground beef and frozen beef patties sold by the chain between June 2 and Aug. 6.
“Although there have been no cases in Rhode Island that are linked to this outbreak, Health advises that consumer should discard potentially tainted ground beef,” or return the package or receipt to Whole Foods for a full refund, Dr. Robert S. Crausman, director of the department’s Center for Epidemiology & Infectious Disease, said in a Friday statement.
E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and sometimes kidney failure. The very young, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible.
The Massachusetts patients range from 3 to 60 years old. They all became ill between July 10 and July 16. At least five have been hospitalized.
State and federal officials said they believe those illnesses may be linked to 20 other cases in several states and Quebec that were caused by the same strain of bacteria – E. coli 0157:H7 – as determined through DNA testing.
The Public Health Department reminded the public to consume cooked ground beef only if it is fully cooked: cooking meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit kills the bacteria.
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For information from the Mass. Department of Public Health, visit www.mass.gov/dph. For information from the R.I. Department of Health’s Office of Communicable Diseases, including tips on how to prevent food-borne illness, visit www.health.ri.gov/disease/communicable.
Information about Escherichia coli – including the symptoms and treatment of E. coli infection – is available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, at www.cdc.gov.
