A five-state E. coli O103 outbreak has hard hit Georgia where 17 people have been sickened and three have been hospitalized. So far, a total of 96 illnesses and 11 hospitalizations have been reported from Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia and health officials still haven’t determined the cause of the outbreak.

 

CDC map of 5-state E. coli ouutbreak on 4/9/19

E. coli Complications, Hospitalizations

Symptoms of an E. coli infection, which include abdominal cramps and diarrhea that can be bloody, should not be treated with over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medicines as that can make the infection worse.

E. coli infections that migrate out of the gastrointestinal tract and into the bloodstream can cause serious complications that require hospitalization. These include the formation of abscesses in the abdomen or major organs,  meningitis, pneumonia and infections of the gall bladder, bladder, urinary tract and kidneys. One out of every 30 urinary tract infections leads to a kidney infection, according to the American Urological Association. 

About 10 percent of patients with E. coli infections develop a life-threatening complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure. The CDC said none of the patients in this outbreak have developed this complication. However, HUS primarily affects young children and half of the people sickened in this outbreak are under the age of 17.

Pritzker Hageman, The Food Poisoning Law Firm, represents people nationwide who have been sickened by contaminated food.  Our E. coli lawyers have helped clients in every major outbreak over the last two decades and won multi-million settlements for those severely harmed. If you, or a member of your family, has an E. coli infection and would like to talk with a member of our team, call 1 (888) 377-8900,  text 612-261-0856. Or complete the form below. The consultation is complimentary and there is no obligation.