The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating a new multistate E. coli O121:H19 outbreak. At least 37 people have been sickened.
Health officials have learned the suspected food source of this outbreak, but have not yet released that information. The FDA is trying to determine where the contamination occurred by tracing back the food item’s journey from the store where it was purchased to the field where it was grown.
Do You Need an E. coli Lawyer?
What is E. coli O121:H19?
Some strains of E. coli produce Shiga-toxins which are poisonous to humans and cause severe illness. The most common member of the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is E. coli O157:H7. But other STEC strains include: O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. Together these strains account for the majority of E. coli illnesses reported in the U.S. each year.
Last year, an E. coli O121:H19 outbreak linked to Earth Grown frozen falafel sold at ALDI stores sickened 24 people in six states. Five people were hospitalized including one who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure that is a complication of some E. coli infections.
Symptoms of a STEC infection usually develop within one to three days of exposure. They include abdominal cramps and diarrhea that can be bloody. Some people with these infections can experience dangerous complications such as hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
Experienced E. coli Lawyers
If you developed an E. coli infection from contaminated food and would like a free consultation with an experienced E. coli lawyer, please contact our E. coli Legal Team. We have represented clients in every major E. coli outbreak in the U.S. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. The consultation is free and there is no obligation.