Epidemics+Project+DB

E Coli/FoodPoisoning Outbreaks

1992-1993 Food Poisoning Outbreaks in the Western U.S. - more than 700 cases of the illness and the death of 4 children - investigators found that meat had been contaminated by animal waste containing E Coli - most strains of E. Coli are harmless, but the particular strain, 0157:H7 makes people very sick -the meat of hamburgers hadn't been cooked long enough - guidelines for meat inspection were revised and meat consumers were advised to cook meat more thourougly

1994 Salmonella Outbreak in MidWestern U.S. - people in Minnesota were affected by digestive illness caused by Salmonella enteriditis - the outbreak was traced back to a brand of ice cream - the plant producing the ice cream was shut down and the ice cream was recalled - interestingly, salmonella is usually only found in eggs and chicken and the ice cream had no egg products - it was discovered the ice cream was being delivered in trucks that carried unpasteurized eggs, the trucks were not properly cleaned and the egg product got into the ice cream



Jack in the box E.Coli outbreak- 1993 - hundreds of people injured, 4 children died - E.Colli served in uncooked hamburgers - state regulation ordered that the hamburgers be cooked to an internal temp. of 155 degrees farenheit, it's believed they only got the burgers to 144 degrees thus not meeting requirements - If the burgers had been cooked to 155 degrees, the meat would have been safe- E.Coli killed) - “Either they didn’t believe in science, or they didn’t read the literature,” said Bert Bartleson, technical expert for the state Department of Health’s food program, in an interview. “If they followed the standards ... no one would have gotten sick.” - The company says they weren't informed of the rules, but records show they had been as long as 10 months before - Diana Nole's 2-year old son died in the epidemic, she says “These guys had a responsibility to the public to provide safe, healthy food,” Nole said. “It just disgusts me that they can play with peoples’ lives like that.” - within a week of people getting sick in the west, the source was determined to be jack in the box and nearly 200,000 burgers were recalled - bad burgers were produced in Nov. 1992 - Jack in the Box was slow to recall its bad meat and lost stock holders and credibility --> the company paid over 40 million in lawsuits and recovered by maintaining industry standardsin food handling and technique

- One victim, Brianne Kiner, was 9 years old when stricken with the E.Coli. It damaged her pancreas and large intestine. She stayed in the hospital for 189 days, had three strokes, and 10,000 seizures. She went into a coma and her mom was asked six times if she wanted to have her daughter's plug pulled. Brianna lived, losing a third of her body weight. Today, she is 20 years old, has diabtetes and has to get 15 hours of sleep a day. One day she will need a kidney transplant. Her mom become an activist and has spoken in front of meat lobbyists and feds in Washington. --> her family received 15.6 million from Jack in the box in 1995



E.Coli bacteria - Escherichia coli inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and other warm blooded animals (birds, mammals) - More than 700 sterotypes, but most well known is E. coli O157:H7 - Can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, kidney failure and death - once ingested the bacteria rapidly multiple in the large intestine and bind to cells in the intestinal lining - it causes hemorrhagic colitis which causes cramps and abdominal pain followed by diarrhea within 24 hours - diarrhea becomes bloody after several days and vomitting and fever can occur - bowel necrosis occurs in severe cases (tissue death) and this is associated with acute kidney failure

sources- http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/epidemic/section_07/secseven_pg_14.html

http://www.about-ecoli.com/ecoli_outbreaks/view/jack-in-the-box-e-coli-outbreak

Power Point Text

1. Jack in the BoxE. Coli Outbreak 1993 By Dede Bearden E. Coli Bacteria

2. Escherichia bacteria Inhabits the intestinal tract of humans and other warm blooded animals More than 700 serotypes, but most well known is is E. coli O157:H7 Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, kidney failure and death Bacteria rapidly multiply in the large intestine and bind to cells in the intestinal lining Causes bowel tissue death and acute kidney failure in severe cases

3. The Jack in the Box Outbreak In 1993, around 600 people were injured and 4 children died after eating Jack in the Box burgers. State regulation required burgers be cooked to 155 degrees farenheit, but Jack in the Box ignored regulations. E. Coli bacteria were not killed in the cooking process, and the meat was contaminated.

4. VictimStory Brianne Kiner, was 9 years old when stricken with the E.Coli. It damaged her pancreas and large intestine. She stayed in the hospital for 189 days, had three strokes, and 10,000 seizures. She went into a coma and her mom was asked six times if she wanted to have her daughter's plug pulled. Brianna lived, losing a third of her body weight. Today, she is 20 years old, has diabtetes and has to get 15 hours of sleep a day. One day she will need a kidney transplant. Her mom become an activist and has spoken in front of meat lobbyists and feds in Washington. --> her family received 15.6 million from Jack in the box in 1995

5. Jack in the Box Pays Within a week, the source was determined to be Jack in the Box and over 200,000 burgers were recalled. The company paid over 40 million dollars in lawsuits and recovered by adhereing to industry standards. The company lost stock holders and credibility in the incident.

6. Sources http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/epidemic/section_07/secseven_pg_14.htmlhttp:// www.about-ecoli.com/ecoli_outbreaks/view/jack-in-the-box-e-coli-outbreak