Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with Eating a
Nationally Distributed Commercial Brand of Frozen Ground Beef
Patties and Burgers -- Colorado, 1997
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
(CDPHE) recently identified an outbreak of Escherichia coli
O157:H7 infections associated with eating a nationally distributed
commercial brand of frozen beef patties and burgers. This report
describes the preliminary findings of the ongoing investigation of
this outbreak and the product recall of six lots of Hudson Foods
frozen ground beef patties and burgers.
On August 7, 1997, CDPHE's state public health laboratory
reported that 15 (56%) of 27 E. coli O157:H7 isolates submitted
for routine molecular subtyping since June 1 were characterized by
highly related pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns;
the PFGE patterns of 13 (87%) of 15 isolates were
indistinguishable (outbreak strain). The patterns of the remaining
two isolates were indistinguishable from each other and differed
from the outbreak strain by only one band. These isolates were
cultured from stool specimens obtained from 15 patients who had
onsets of illness during June 14-July 14. The median age of these
patients was 13 years (range: 3-76 years); 11 (73%) were male.
Five patients were hospitalized, but none developed hemolytic
uremic syndrome or died. Eleven (79%) of 14 patients reported
eating frozen pre-formed ground beef patties or burgers at least
once during the 7-day period preceding illness onset; eight
specifically recalled eating Hudson Foods brand product, and
three, who could not recall a specific brand name, identified
package labeling consistent with Hudson Foods brand. Hudson Foods
beef burgers collected from the freezers of two of the 15 patients
bore the identical lot number (156A7); both yielded E. coli
O157:H7 when cultured at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
(USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service Laboratory in Athens,
Georgia. The PFGE pattern from one isolate cultured from ground
beef was indistinguishable from the outbreak strain; PFGE analysis
of the second isolate is pending.
In cooperation with USDA, Hudson Foods recalled from retail
stores three potentially contaminated lots of Hudson beef burgers
on August 12 (Lots: 156A7, 156B7, and 155B7), and three additional
lots on August 15 (Lots: 155A7, 160A7, and 160B7). As of August
20, no additional lots had been recalled. Preliminary findings
suggest that these lots could have been distributed to at least
all 48 contiguous states. USDA is continuing efforts to assure
that all suspect product is recalled and to determine potential
contamination points during the manufacturing process. In
addition, CDC is working with state health departments to
determine whether other cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection are
associated with exposure to Hudson Foods products.
Reported by: El Paso County Dept of Health and Environment,
Colorado Springs; Larimer County Dept of Health and Environment,
Ft. Collins; Mesa County Health Dept, Grand Junction; Pueblo
City-County Health Dept, Pueblo; Tri-County District Health Dept,
Englewood; P Shillam, MSPH, D Heltzel, J Beebe, PhD, R Hoffman,
MD, State Epidemiologist, Colorado Dept of Public Health and
Environment. State public health laboratories of Minnesota,
Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Food Safety and
Inspection Svc, US Dept of Agriculture. Foodborne and Diarrheal
Diseases Br, Div of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National
Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Illness caused by E. coli O157:H7 infection
usually is characterized by abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and
bloody stools and can be complicated by hemolytic uremic syndrome
and death. Persons with illness meeting this description (i.e.,
abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and bloody stools) should contact
their physicians. Additional information about the product recall
is available from the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, telephone
(800) 535-4555.
The investigation of this outbreak illustrates the value of
molecular subtyping in enhancing surveillance for E. coli O157:H7
infections. The National Molecular Sub-typing Network for
Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria has enabled CDPHE's laboratory and
14 other state public health laboratories to subtype E. coli
O157:H7 isolates. Four of these laboratories, designated as area
laboratories, also can subtype isolates from surrounding states.
As of August 19, none of 340 E. coli O157:H7 isolates subtyped at
six other network laboratories matched the outbreak strain.
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