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What To Do If You Suspect an E. coli Infection

By PritzkerLaw

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen Attorneys is receiving hundreds of calls and emails from people concered about E. coli O157:H7 exposure from the Nestle Toll House cookie dough outbreak. Here are some important facts to keep in mind.

The symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infections vary for each person, but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high (less than 101 degrees).

• These symptoms may represent a life-threatening infection. If you have symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea, you should get immediate medical attention.
• The only practical way to diagnose E. coli O157:H7 is by stool sample. Without a stool sample, confirming the presence of E. coli, it is difficult to prove you are part of this outbreak. Therefore, if you believe you have symptoms related to E. coli O157:H7, you need to receive medical attention and get a stool test.
• Get a stool test as soon as possible after your symptoms commence. If you wait too long, the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria may be shed from your body and the test will be negative even though you had the bug.
• Also, if you are prescribed antibiotics, the medication may kill off the E. coli, in which case your test will be negative.
• This is important: Non-specific supportive therapy, including hydration, is important. Antibiotics should not be used to treat this infection. There is no evidence that treatment with antibiotics is helpful, and taking antibiotics may increase the risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS. Antidiarrheal agents like Imodium may also increase that risk. Thus, if you receive antibiotics, it may cause you harm and make it impossible to detect the E. coli O157:H7.
• If you have remaining Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products that have been recalled in this outbreak, do not throw them out or return them to the grocery store. Here's why: lab testing of the product may confirm the presence of E. coli O157:H7. Therefore, seal the unused Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products in a plastic bag, mark the bag so it is not used or consumed accidentally and continue to store it in your refrigerator until it is tested.
• Call us right away if you have E. coli O157:H7 symptoms and you test positive for it or if you have strong reason to believe a negative test does not rule out E. coli O157:H7 (i.e., you were put on antibiotics before stool testing was done.)

Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is one of the most experienced and trusted food safety law firm in the United States and has represented foodborne illness survivors in virtually every major E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.

For a free consultation about your E. coli O157:H7 case, please call us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900. To contact an E. coli attorney online, please complete one of our forms.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on June 24, 2009 (boomark / email).