More Cases in E. Coli Outbreak Tied to Wendy’s Restaurant Lettuce

FRIDAY, Sept. 2, 2022 (HealthDay Information) — A complete of 97 folks throughout six states have now been made sick by E. coli, in an outbreak probably tied to contaminated lettuce utilized in sandwiches bought at Wendy’s eating places.

“Because the final replace on August 25, 2022, 13 extra sicknesses have been reported to CDC,” the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention mentioned in an up to date assertion launched Thursday. Two states — Kentucky and New York (with one case every) — have now been added to the checklist of states reporting circumstances, which additionally consists of Michigan (58 circumstances), Ohio (24), Indiana (11) and Pennsylvania (2).

Sicknesses from an infection with the gastrointestinal bacterium have typically been extreme.

“Of 81 folks with info out there, 43 have been hospitalized and 10 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe situation that may trigger kidney failure,” the CDC mentioned, though “no deaths have been reported.”

The precise supply of the outbreak has nonetheless not been formally confirmed, however the CDC mentioned that in 67 circumstances the place investigators requested what folks had eaten within the week previous to turning into sick, 81% reported that that they had eaten at Wendy’s.

“Of 54 folks with detailed details about what they ate at Wendy’s, 37 [69%] reported consuming romaine lettuce served on burgers and sandwiches,” the company famous.

On Aug. 19, Wendy’s introduced that it had eliminated romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“Wendy’s is taking the precautionary measure of eradicating the romaine lettuce being utilized in sandwiches from eating places in that area,” the CDC mentioned on the time. “Investigators are working to verify whether or not romaine lettuce is the supply of this outbreak, and whether or not romaine lettuce utilized in Wendy’s sandwiches was served or bought at different companies.”

Romaine lettuce bought in grocery shops doesn’t seem like affected, the CDC mentioned, and other people can nonetheless eat at Wendy’s and eat the romaine lettuce within the salads it sells. Wendy’s defined in an announcement that the lettuce utilized in its salads isn’t the identical as that utilized in its sandwiches.

“We’re absolutely cooperating with public well being authorities on their ongoing investigation of the regional E. coli outbreak reported in sure midwestern states,” the corporate mentioned on the time. “Whereas the CDC has not but confirmed a particular meals because the supply of that outbreak, we’re taking the precaution of discarding and changing the sandwich lettuce at some eating places in that area.”

Most individuals with an E. coli an infection “begin feeling sick 3 to 4 days after consuming or consuming one thing that incorporates the micro organism,” the CDC mentioned. “Nonetheless, sicknesses can begin wherever from 1 to 10 days after publicity.” Sicknesses sometimes final from 5 to 7 days.

What to Do:

• Look ahead to signs of extreme E. coli, which embody diarrhea lasting greater than three days or diarrhea accompanied by a fever greater than 102˚F, bloody diarrhea, vomiting and a scarcity of urination.
• When you undergo from these signs, name your physician instantly.
• Hold monitor of what and the place you ate within the week earlier than you bought sick and report it to your native or state well being division.

Extra info

For extra on the outbreak, head to the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.