E. Coli Sickens 14 In St. Louis Area

ST. LOUIS -- Health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 14 people this week in St. Louis and the surrounding county.

St. Louis County health department spokesman John Shelton said Thursday that all 14 cases of the food-borne illness have been reported since Tuesday and that no one has died. He says he's not sure if anyone was hospitalized.

Those sickened range in age from 4 to 94 years old and live in various parts of the county. State and federal health officials have been notified of the outbreak.

Those sickened by E. coli bacteria can experience a range of symptoms, including diarrhea, urinary tract infection, respiratory illness and pneumonia. It is commonly spread through consumption of contaminated food and water.

Comments

[StevenRussell1]

12:47 AM on 10/29/2011

14 in the St. Louis area is a drop in the bucket, so to speak.

[mjsmroberts]

01:30 PM on 10/28/2011

what about organic meat ? could that be harmful?

[lneunz]

01:40 PM on 10/28/2011

Organic meat can still be contaminted with E. coli and other pathogens, but there would be less problem with hormones and pesticides. There is still the problem of saturated fat, of course.

[jacmed]

02:58 PM on 10/28/2011

Organic anything can also be contaminated with Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, and other pathogens. Organic just means that no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or chemicals were used in the raising of the animals or growing of the produce.

[victorzeller]

10:43 PM on 10/28/2011

Organic doesn't mean it is even better for you. The organic industry wants you to believe their products are better when in reality they aren't.

[etinamax]

11:58 AM on 10/28/2011

This is exactly the reason that I stay away from meat products. Even the cantalope outbreak was probably tainted by factory farm runoffs. I have found wonderful alternatives and have never been more healthy.

[lneunz]

12:36 PM on 10/28/2011

I totally agree with you. Also, animal protein promotes just about every modern-day chronic disease there is. There's plenty of protein from plant sources. I'm with you!

[jacmed]

03:16 PM on 10/28/2011

So you believe that, Ineunz? Human beings are omnivores, we are not meant to be vegetarians, let alone vegans. Some people do very well, however, on a plant-based diet, while others do not. Animal protein is not what promotes modern-day chronic disease, Ineunz. It is a combination of things, not the least of which are all the manufactured foods (like margarine -- imitation butter-flavored butter!) which are not really foods although artificial proteins, vitamins, and minerals are added to them to make the consumer think they're eating something healthy. Then we have pollution, antibiotics injected into food animals so that those who eat a lot of meat may eventually become resistant to antibiotics, hormones injected into our food animals which are known to produce early puberty in our children, and a whole host of other stuff that never existed before. If you are happy and thriving on a plant-based diet, all power to you. I, however, can't do it -- even just eating fish instead of red meat more than once a week results in my having a Big Mac attack! And I've reached the age of 70 without having any of the modern-day chronic diseases, have no health problems, and take no medications whatsoever. Everything in moderation (real food, though, not the manufactured stuff!) and organic/natural as much as possible -- that's my belief and, so far, it's working!

[victorzeller]

10:44 PM on 10/28/2011

But NOTHING tastes better than a Cheeseburger. Here have an bean sprout.

[A George]

02:03 PM on 10/28/2011

The listeria outbreak of cantaloupes was found to be the fault of the packing process and not the fault of the farm. Had the cantaloupes gone from field to market no listeria would have contaminated them. They found listeria in the EQUIPMENT in the packing shed in hidden pools of water in the machinery.

[victorzeller]

10:45 PM on 10/28/2011

The grease that manufacturing plants use to lube the machinery is the perfect place for Listeria to breed and thrive.

[Dan Crabtree]

10:52 AM on 10/28/2011

Hummmmm..Is it just me or indeed has food contamination cases such as e-coli jumped in this nation buy 100% in the last ten years or so. Hardly a week goes bye without another outbreak of something...

[joran111]

11:27 PM on 10/28/2011

It's OK; we don't need no stinkin' regulations!

/sarcasm off

[phdpamela]

09:59 AM on 10/28/2011

Oh what I would give for the old small town butcher shop! You can't blame the food inspection people..they get a lunch break too. The owners/managers of these processing plants are sneaky. Think they are closed on the wkknd? LOL..I saw batches of eggs run quick on a Saturday once, that was supposed to go to an animal feed place, but instead, filled the orders for 3 major supermarkets. That was back in the early 70's. But it gave me a good education, on what was going on in the food industry.

[faithe]

09:50 AM on 10/28/2011

Cook or wash your food, people!

[cree1997]

09:26 AM on 10/28/2011

great reporting "beware ecoli outbreak" why run the story if you do not have all the facts?

[Lynn King]

09:47 AM on 10/28/2011

If they waited till they had all the facts it could be too late to warn people then you would of complained that they did not tell us earlier.

[cree1997]

10:32 PM on 10/28/2011

If you do not know what to avoid, then what good does a warning do???

[OlderWoman]

09:02 AM on 10/28/2011

Hmmm. . .let's see, World Series going on in St. Louis, Texas Rangers in town. . . .?

[hearken]

08:12 AM on 10/28/2011

Hey, I have an idea...let's do away with food inspectors because we can trust the industry to police itself...per Eric CANTor, House Maj. Whip, R. from VA.

[baej]

07:58 AM on 10/28/2011

Uh-oh. Were there Wall Street protestors in St. Louis taking a poop in the streets?

[hearken]

08:14 AM on 10/28/2011

Someone probably cutting corners and buying tainted food so they can make a bigger profit. The bottom line is not safety....IT"S money!

[Janice Berglund Yohon]

07:58 AM on 10/28/2011

Its getting so I think I'll start eating canned veggies and fruits and burn all my meat before I eat it. Then you have to worry about botulism in the canned goods. Why isn't our food more safe??? This isn't a third world country. This is a country full of scientists, doctors, etc and our food is unsafe!!!

[hearken]

08:17 AM on 10/28/2011

When you find out that most cans are treated with a toxic substance something like BHA that causes Cancer you may change your mind. I heard this about two weeks ago that 94% of the people who use canned foods tested positive for having BHA in their bodies. Bottom line is PROFIT first....safety is way down the line according to large corporations and businesses.

[lneunz]

12:40 PM on 10/28/2011

You are correct, but may I respectfully let you know that its BPA, not BHA. BPA's in the system act like a hormone, among other bad side effects, and they are so hard to avoid, but the industry is starting to become aware (because of customer complants) and gradually (very) more cans and plastic items are being produced without BPA.

[OlderWoman]

09:01 AM on 10/28/2011

Because profits always come before safety.

[Scott Moguns]

07:55 AM on 10/28/2011

have they found what was contaminated? it is getting so, that eating out is like playing Russian roulette....

[Wupta]

01:08 AM on 10/28/2011

Ok? What food caused it?

[jacmed]

02:59 PM on 10/28/2011

Leeks, Wupta!

[Oginikwe]

12:55 AM on 10/28/2011

Pretty soon it's going to be news when there isn't an e.coi outbreak.

[rikster]

09:38 PM on 10/27/2011

e. coli runs for Congress. On Leno tonite...

[Rosiestar]

04:28 AM on 10/28/2011

and a member of the next GOP debate.