All News / Outbreaks /

State fair visitors warned

Local health officials are warning people who visited the petting zoo at the North Carolina State Fair to be on the lookout for possible symptoms of an E. Coli outbreak. Three Wake County children fell ill with the bacteria this week.
The children had been to the petting zoo at the state fairgrounds in Raleigh, where they apparently came in contact with the bacteria and contracted hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS. It’s a disease that can affect young children, attacking red blood cells, and in rare cases, leading to kidney failure.
Common symptoms include bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps and usually develop within two to eight days of exposure. The illness typically is spread through particles of fecal matter on the hands and later ingested when the child eats without washing his hands.
“We want to make sure that any child who attended the petting zoo and their parents are on the lookout for these symptoms,” Joey Huff, Lenoir County health director, said. “If these symptoms appear we urge them to seek immediate medical attention.”

Get Help

Affected by an outbreak or recall?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

Get a free consultation
Related Resources
E. coli Food Poisoning

What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so...

E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in...

Non-O157 STEC

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least...

Sources of E. coli

Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are...

Transmission of and Infection with E. coli

While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination...

Outbreak Database

Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

View Outbreak Database