National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker is investigating an E. coli outbreak associated with the North Carolina State Fair that continues to grow. To date, there are 10 confirmed cases and 16 suspected cases from the following North Carolina counties: Cleveland, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Orange, Sampson, Wake and Wilson. 23 of the 26 E. coli victims attended the North Carolina State Fair, according to the North Carolina Division of Public Health (DPH).
Thirteen of the E. coli victims are adults and thirteen are children. Five people are hospitalized: four children and one adult.
The hospitalized children have developed a severe complication of an E. coli infection called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States. Children with HUS are generally hospitalized for weeks or months and many require future kidney transplants.
"The physical, financial and emotional burdens of an E. coli infection can be devastating for victims and their families, and I've seen this happen too often in my practice as an E. coli lawyer," said food safety attorney Fred Pritzker. "All parties responsible for this outbreak need to be held accountable because in every case we have handled the illness could have been prevented with good sanitation practices and adequate testing."
North Carolina health officials are investigating the possible source of the outbreak. In 2004, an E. coli outbreak linked to the petting zoo at the North Carolina State Fair sickened 108 people. Fifteen of those patients developed HUS. In this outbreak, though, some of the E. coli victims did not visit the petting zoo or touch animals. If food served at the fair was the source of the outbreak, it was probably something that was improperly cooked or something that is not cooked on site, like ice cream. It is also possible that equipment or water used by a vender was contaminated.
Attorney Fred Pritzker can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (TOLL FREE) or at foodpoisoning.pritzkerlaw.com. PritzkerOlsen, P.A. represents E. coli victims nationwide. He recently won a settlement for a North Carolina family whose loved one died from an E. coli infection. Mr. Pritzker has appeared on national and local news programs to discuss foodborne illness lawsuits and food safety.
Contacts:
Pritzker Olsen, P.A.
Fred Pritzker, 612-338-0202
fhp@pritzkerlaw.com
http://www.pritzkerlaw.com