Outbreaks
Fairbank Farms E. coli Outbreak
On October 31, 2009, Fairbank Farms of Ashville, NY, recalled approximately 545,699 pounds of fresh ground beef products for potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The recall was announced after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and several state health departments identified the meat as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.By November 3, 2009, the CDC announced that at least 28 people from 12 states had become infected with a matching strain of E. coli O157:H7. Further DNA testing on the bacteria isolated from ill individuals and ground beef recovered from a patient’s home continued.
Of the 28 people who became ill with E. coli O157:H7 during this outbreak, 26 became ill between September 17 and October 10, 2009. Six patients were reportedly hospitalized due to their E. coli infections, and three developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. Two deaths were reported to be associated with the outbreak.
The number of ill persons identified in each state was as follows: California (1), Connecticut (4), Massachusetts (8), Maryland (1), Maine (2), Minnesota (1), New Hampshire (4), New Jersey (1), New York (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Dakota (2), and Vermont (1).
