Thread: 14 hospitalized after dining at Iowa restaurant; E. coli sus

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/11/ec ... index.html

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) -- Near three dozen people fell ill, including 14 who were hospitalized, with symptoms consistent with infection by the E. coli bacteria after eating at a Taco John's restaurant, a local health department said.

Test results were expected Monday.

The Taco John's restaurant has removed any suspected ingredients from its menu and sanitized the facility, said Tom O'Rourke, the Black Hawk County Health Department director.

Brian Dixon, vice president of marketing for Taco John's, said the company had sent a representative to review cooking and food storage procedures, and to examine cleaning reports and employee health records.

Taco John's is based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It has no connection to Taco Bell, which has been linked to an outbreak of a harsh strain of E. coli that has sickened more than 60 people in the Northeast.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 61 cases in five states, most in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware, plus one in South Carolina.

On Sunday, the New York Health Department confirmed that city's first case caused by the same strain of E. coli found in the other confirmed cases, spokesman Jeff Cowley said. That person was admitted to a hospital on Nov. 24 after eating at a Taco Bell, but has fully recovered, Cowley said.

Taco Bell officials said Saturday that they had determined that scallions were the likely source of the bacteria. The company said it has switched produce suppliers.

E. coli, or Escherichia coli, is a common and ordinarily harmless bacteria, but certain strains can cause abdominal cramps, fever, bloody diarrhea, kidney failure, blindness, paralysis, even death.

More crap in the crops. I guess the CDC is having a hard time tracking the source down because they are not looking in the right places. Why don't they just cut to the chase and go swab all the illegal aliens in the "migrant" camps? While they are there, they should publish and release to the public, a report on all the diseases that the illegal aliens are transmitting. You know, the aliens that are handling your food!

Dixie

Is it really crap in the food? I mean, they are getting sick from eating at Taco Bell. Who hasn't done that before? The least they could do is have some fine dining Mexican food at Pancho's. Man, I love Pancho's!