1 Dead From E. coli Outbreak Traced to Oregon Strawberry Farm

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1 Dead From E. coli Outbreak Traced to Oregon Strawberry Farm​

Published August 08, 2011

| Associated Press​

Excerpt:​

Four people have been hospitalized. The fatality was an elderly woman from Washington County who died of kidney failure, the department said.

Six other people may have been infected in the outbreak, officials said.​

Those infected are from Washington, Clatsop and Multnomah counties in northwestern Oregon.​

This is the first time that the strain known as E coli 0157:H7 has been found in strawberries, said Dr. Paul Cieslak, manager of the state agency's communicable [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]disease[/color] section.[/color]​

Full text:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/0...aced-to-oregon-strawberry-farm/#ixzz1UXXi2tca​

 

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Re: 1 Dead From E. coli Outbreak Traced to Oregon Strawberry Farm

PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION
John A. Kitzhaber, MD, Governor​

News release

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www.oregon.gov/OHA​

Aug. 8, 2011​

Fresh strawberries from Washington County farm implicated in
E.coli O157 outbreak in NW Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore.?Oregon Public Health officials have identified fresh strawberries from a Newberg farm as the source of a cluster of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections that sickened at least 10 people last month, including one person who died.
The strawberries were produced last month by Jaquith Strawberry Farm located in Newberg. Jaquith finished its strawberry season in late July, and its strawberries are no longer on the market. Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmers? markets.

More...

http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/news/2011/2011-0808.pdf​

 

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Re: 1 Dead From E. coli Outbreak Traced to Oregon Strawberry Farm

Deer may be source of Ore. E. coli outbreak ​

<!-- AP Byline -->Associated Press | <!-- AP Updated -->Posted: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 3:24 pm​

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...Strawberry Farm in Newberg, 25 miles southwest of Portland, are being analyzed and results should be available in a few days, Dr. Paul Cieslak, an epidemiologist with the Oregon Public Health Division, said Tuesday.​

It has been known since 1997 that deer can carry the bacteria, but investigators don't know why it has never shown up in strawberries before anywhere in the United States. E. coli has been linked to other crops, such as alfalfa sprouts, spinach and apple cider.​

"Strawberry fields are out there all over the place. Deer are out there all over the place. Why we haven't had an outbreak, I couldn't tell you," Cieslak said. "Believe me, we are scratching our heads about it, too."...

Read More:
http://wcfcourier.com/news/national...251-5b97-87fa-b57117703b74.html#ixzz1UZY51Ggh​

 

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Re: 1 Dead From E. coli Outbreak Traced to Oregon Strawberry Farm

Tests reveal E. coli in deer droppings found in Oregon strawberry field

<SMALL>August 12 | Posted by OregonNews</SMALL>

...Over the weekend, two epidemiologists with Oregon Public Health traipsed through fields at Jaquith Strawberry Farm, collecting more than 100 samples of soil, deer droppings, plant parts and strawberries that had not been picked. Those were sent to a lab outside Seattle that?s equipped to conduct specialized tests on bacteria. Thursday afternoon the first results came in, showing that 10 samples and possibly more were contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

Keene was surprised that such a high percent of the samples tested positive. Bacteria is never uniformly spread throughout the environment or on contaminated food. Sometimes epidemiologists know it?s there but can?t prove it in the laboratory. ...

Now the lab has to confirm whether the specific strain of the bacteria in the samples matches the strain that sickened the 15 people. Two suffered kidney failure, including an elderly woman in Washington County who died. Two patients are still in the hospital.

Full text:
http://oregon-news.info/oregon-top-...oppings-found-in-oregon-strawberry-field.html

 

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Re: 1 Dead From E. coli Outbreak Traced to Oregon Strawberry Farm

Oregon confirms deer droppings caused E. coli outbreak tied to strawberries

Published: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 12:22 PM Updated: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 4:26 PM

By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian The Oregonian

Oregon scientists confirmed today that deer droppings from Jaquith Strawberry Farm contained the same strain of E. coli that sickened people in Multnomah, Washington Clackamas, Yamhill and Clatsop counties.

Lab testing confirmed deer as the source of the outbreak," said William Keene, senior epidemiologist at Oregon Public Health.

Scientists picked up environmental samples from fields at Jaquith Strawberry Farm in rural Washington County and 10 tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Of those, six matched the strain that sickened 15 people in Oregon, including one woman who died. The other four were separate strains of E. coli O157:H7.

Keene said the outbreak strain turned up in samples from fields in three separate locations.

More...
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/08/oregon_confirms_deer_droppings.html