One food-borne illness expert said it's 'perplexing' the CDC has yet to pinpoint the source to a specific food item, grocery store or restaurant chain.
By Michael Brice-Saddler Michael Brice-Saddler General Assignment Reporter Email Bio Follow April 9 at 4:34 PM The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday it has yet to determine the source of an E. coli outbreak that has now infected 96 people in five states — an admission one expert in food-borne illness called “perplexing,” considering how many have become sick.
Tuesday’s notice follows an announcement from the CDC Friday, in which they reported 72 ill patients linked to the strain. He added: “The real question is, what do 72 people have in common over five states? It has to be something.”That something, Marler said, is likely a food or water product that people can’t remember they ate. State and local health officials are required to interview ill patients and determine what they consumed in the week leading up to their symptoms, but recalling one’s dietary choices is often easier said than done, he said.
Citing a CDC data set that dates to 1998, Marler noted outbreaks of E. coli O103 are relatively uncommon. Eighteen such outbreaks have been reported in the United States since 2000, with the highest number of reported illnesses being 29 during a 2010 outbreak in Minnesota.It’s likely that number will grow. Marler said the CDC estimates that for every person reported sick, there are 5 to 10 ill people who have not been accounted for.
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