New Law Blogs

Lincoln Middle School E coli Outbreak Rhode Island

By PritzkerLaw

 The USDA, CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health are investigating what food may have caused the Lincoln Middle School E. coli outbreak during a school trip to Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Fifteen students who attended the camp October 13-16 reported getting diarrhea -- a prime symptom of E. coli -- and two of the 15 have confirmed infections of E. coli O157:H7. Two of the children sickened in the outbreak remain hospitalized.

 This is the statement issued by Dr. Robert S. Crausman, chief of Rhode Island's Center for Infectious Diseases: "We want to assure parents and students that we are not seeing this diarrheal illness spread person to person. However, any student or chaperon who was on the field trip and has diarrhea should call their doctor for medical evaluation and treatment.''

Lincoln School Superintendent Georgia Fortunado said school staff is working with health officials on the response, which included a letter to parents disclosing the problem.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially fatal human pathogen that is the leading cause of kidney failure in children around the world. The organism lives in the guts of cattle and other animals without harming them, but in humans it emits a powerful toxin that attacks blood cells and can invade the central nervous system.

More than five percent of E. coli O157:H7 infections lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS. This is a life-threatening disease that is most likely to strike young children, under 5, and adults over the age of 60.

National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys currently represents E. coli HUS victims and is doing some of its own investigation of the Lincoln Middle School E. coli outbreak. If you have information that could be useful to families whose children are victims of this outbreak, contact us at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

We also will provide free case consultations to any of the Camp Bournedale parents who are dealing with this outbreak. Call or complete our online contact and information form so we can assist you. If we agree to take your case, you pay us nothing until you win.

Our firm is one of the few in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation and we have recovered tens of millions for survivors of food poisoning over the years. We are dedicated to prevention of E. coli O157:H7 and do not believe the federal government is doing enough to ensure food safety. One of our clients, Jeffrey Almer, provided key testimony earlier this year before a Congressional panel that is considering food safety reform. Change is long overdue. 

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on October 22, 2009 (boomark / email).