Contact with animals is the suspected source of an E. coli outbreak at the Minnesota State Fair that sickened 11 people. Six people were hospitalized, one of them with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). a potentially fatal form of kidney failure associated with E. coli infections.
The case-patients, who range in age from 2 to 43 years old, attended the Miracle of Birth exhiibit at the fair between August 25, 2019, and September 2, 2019. One of them remains hospitalized.
Most of the people sickened reported having contact with calves, goats, sheep or piglets at the exhibit. Health officials believe others were exposed by touching surfaces within the exhibit that were contaminated with E. coli.
Petting zoos and other animal contact exhibits have a long history of E. coli outbreaks. The E. coli lawyers at Pritzker Hageman have represented clients in a number of these outbreaks and recently won a $7.55 verdict in a lawsuit against a petting zoo for E. coli in a young child who developed a nearly fatal case of HUS. Our firm also won a wrongful death settlement for a family whose child died from E. coli after visiting an animal barn at a state fair.
If you or a member of your family were sickened in this outbreak and would like a consultation with our winning E. coli Team, contact us by calling 1 (888) 377-8900 (toll-free), sending a text to 612-261-0856 or by completing the form below.