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Iowa Boy With HUS May be JBS Swift Outbreak Victim

By PritzkerLaw

Well-wishers from around the country are praying for the recovery of a 1-year-old boy from Iowa who has been hospitalized with a severe complication of E. coli O157:H7 disease -- a possible victim of the multi-state JBS Swift beef outbreak.

The story of Isaiah Romero was first carried by KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls, where the boy has been receiving medical attention this week at Sanford Children's Hospital. He first became sick a few weeks ago, but an E. coli test returned negative. Then his illness progressed into HUS, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, which happens to a number of children who become infected with E. coli O157:H7. HUS is the leading cause of E. coli deaths.

Iowa isn't one of the nine states initially identified by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention as a location of any of the known illnesses in the JBS Swift outbreak. But it's very plausible the outbreak has spread, especially in the Midwest were Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota have all seen cases. It's very common for the CDC to publish updates on an outbreak to cover newly found cases.

Isaiah's father was quoted in the KSFY story as saying: " It's hard on us, but with God's help we are doing OK.''

Well-wishers have been writing in to the station's website with messages of empathy and prayer. One unidentified writer said Isaiah's cousin was being treated for the same illness. That is not confirmed.

One of the most recent messages came from Susan Vaughn Grooters, public health coordinator for the food safety non-profit group known as Safe Tables Our Priority, or STOP.

"We can help navigate the public health response, the medical system, and our peer-to-peer network can help families not feel so isolated in such a difficult and unpredictable time. Our hearts go out to Isaiah and the Romero family.''

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, located in Minneapolis, is currently representing families who have had loved ones develop HUS from E. coli. Our firm is one of America's most experienced representatives of victims of foodborne illness. We have recovered millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning by holding meatpackers, food companies, restaurants, insurers and other parties accountable for dangerous pathogens in food.

To learn more, contact our firm toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or email president Fred Pritzker at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com. To receive a free case consultation from an HUS lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, go online to complete one of our submission forms. 

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on July 10, 2009 (boomark / email).