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

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
HealthDay Reporter

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

“Since the final replace on August 25, 2022, 13 extra sicknesses have been reported to CDC,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated 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 instances, which additionally consists of Michigan (58 instances), Ohio (24), Indiana (11) and Pennsylvania (2).

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

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

The precise supply of the outbreak has nonetheless not been formally confirmed, however the CDC stated that in 67 instances the place investigators requested what individuals had eaten within the week previous to changing into unwell, 81% reported that they’d eaten at Wendy’s.

“Of 54 individuals 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 stated on the time. “Investigators are working to substantiate 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 stated, and folks can nonetheless eat at Wendy’s and eat the romaine lettuce within the salads it sells. Wendy’s defined in a press release that the lettuce utilized in its salads is just not the identical as that utilized in its sandwiches.

“We are absolutely cooperating with public well being authorities on their ongoing investigation of the regional E. coli outbreak reported in sure midwestern states,” the corporate stated on the time. “While 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 ingesting one thing that incorporates the micro organism,” the CDC stated. “However, sicknesses can begin anyplace from 1 to 10 days after publicity.” Illnesses usually final from 5 to 7 days.

What to Do:

• Watch for signs of extreme E. coli, which embody diarrhea lasting greater than three days or diarrhea accompanied by a fever larger than 102˚F, bloody diarrhea, vomiting and an absence of urination.
• If you undergo from these signs, name your physician instantly.
• Keep 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.

More info

For extra on the outbreak, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, information launch, Aug. 25, 2022; Wendy’s, assertion, Aug. 19, 2022