CDC Releases E. Coli Outbreak Data in National Steak and Poultry Beef Outbreak

Owasso, OKThe Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released the latest data on the national E. coli O157:H7 outbreak tied to National Steak and Poultry beef products. As of 5 pm EDT, Monday, January 4, 2010, the CDC had identified 21 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 in 16 states. The number of ill persons in each state are as follows: CA (1), CO (1), FL (1), HI (1), IA (1), IN (1), KS (1), MI (1), MN (3), NV (1), OH (2), OK (1), SD (2), TN (1), UT (2), and WA (1).

The illness onset dates range from October 3, 2009 through December 14, 2009. Most patients became ill between mid-October and late November. Patients range in age from 14 to 87 years and the median age of patients is 34 years. Forty-three percent of patients are females. Nine patients have been hospitalized, and one has contracted hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths have been reported.

How did the CDC identify the outbreak?

In early December 2009, the CDC staff identified a multistate cluster of 14 E. coli O157:H7 isolates with a particular DNA fingerprint or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern reported from 13 states. The CDC began working with state and local health departments to gather epidemiologic information about persons in the cluster to determine if any of the ill individuals had been exposed to the same food source(s). Health officials in several states who were investigating reports of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in this cluster found that most ill persons had consumed beef, often in restaurants. CDC is continuing to collaborate with state and local health departments in an attempt to gather additional epidemiologic information and share this information with FSIS.

At this time, at least some of the illnesses appear to be associated with products subject to a recent FSIS recall.

Illnesses Tied To National Steak and Poultry Beef Products

On December 24, 2009, the FSIS issued a notice about a recall of 248,000 pounds of beef products from National Steak and Poultry that may be contaminated with E. coli O157: H7. The recall was issued after FSIS determined there was an association between non-intact steaks (blade tenderized prior to further processing) and illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota and Washington. More information on the recalled products may be found on the FSIS web site.

Where Was the Contaminated Beef Served?

As I wrote in a earlier article, National Steak and Poultry has refused to release the locations at which the contaminated beef was sold. Recent reports have answered this question - as of today, the following restaurants and restaurant chains have been implicated: Olive Garden, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar, Moe's Southwest Grill, KRM, Inc., and the 15 54th Street Grill and Bar locations operated by KRM, Inc.

Still no official confirmation from National Steak and Poultry.