Two people in Illinois are the third and fourth confirmed E. coli illnesses in that state that have been linked to Salinas Valley spinach.
One of the victims is a woman from downstate Illinois. Spinach from her household tested positive for E. coli 0157:H7, the strain of E. coli that was involved in the national outbreak. This was the second batch of spinach to test positive in Illinois. A child in northeastern Illinois has also been identified as a victim of E. coli contamination.Nationally, almost 200 cases of illness linked to bagged spinach have been reported. So far, three people have died.
E. coli 0157:H7 is a strong strain of the bacterium that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Children, seniors and people with weakened immune systems are susceptible to E. coli related illness.
As a result of eating tainted spinach, 18 people have developed Hemolytic Uremia Syndrome, which destroys red blood cells and can lead to kidney failure. A two-year-old girl in Oklahoma is on dialysis with possible kidney failure after she was exposed to E. coli. Her exposure came when she drank a spinach smoothie.
The consumer warning on most bagged spinach products was lifted on September 30, but people are still being told to be cautious when eating spinach.
Officials believe that the 0157:H7 strain of E. coli that has shown up in spinach from Salinas Valley is a particularly dangerous strain. They think that the 0157:H7 strain carries an especially hazardous toxin which causes intestinal disease. E. coli 0157:H7 causes 73,000 cases of infection and 63 deaths each year.
Meanwhile, California State health officials are having difficulty explaining how the E. coli bacteria moved from a cattle farm to the spinach fields. Officials are now saying that they cannot definitively prove that the manure on the cattle farm was the source of the toxic E. coli bacteria. The manure samples were found a half-mile to a mile away from the spinach field, separated by a paved road and fences.
Investigators are considering flooding, irrigation water, animals, and farm workers as possible links between the cattle farm and spinach fields.
In order to protect yourself from E. coli, you should always wash your fruit and vegetables, but be aware that this will not completely rid your produce of contaminants. The E. coli bacterium is sticky and therefore not easily removed. The only way to completely kill E. coli 0157:H7 is to thoroughly cook all your fruits and vegetables and make sure your utensils and food preparation surfaces are kept clean.