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10/22/2003 Public Health Update: E. Coli Outbreak in a Portola Valley Retirement Community

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October 22, 2003 As of 4 p.m. today, one resident, who was  hospitalized previously, has been readmitted, bringing the total number of residents in the hospital to three. Some residents have recently come forward with symptom onsets in early October. They are not sick now, but are still being monitored by public health as a precaution. These indivduals account for the seven additional residents in today's tally of those with pending culture results. One additional employee has been identified as having been sick and is now being monitored. We are still interviewing residents to determine if any have experienced gastrointestinal symptoms within the past several weeks, and, if so, these may be included in a future tally. Symptomatic Individuals 13 Residents E. coli 0157 confirmed 13 Residents negative for E. coli 9 Residents with pending culture results 10 Employees negative for E. coli 3 Employees with gastrointestinal symptoms (not confirmed for E. coli) 48 Total residents and employees being monitored by County Health Department Symptoms of E. coli 0157 include watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Illness may be asymptomatic, mild or severe. Young children and the elderly are more likely to have severe symptoms, including kidney failure, and, in rare instances, may die. While most people get E. coli 0157 from contaminated food (such as undercooked ground beef), it also can be passed in the manure (feces) of young calves and other cattle. Animals do not have to be ill to transmit E. coli 0157 to humans. Consumers can prevent E. coli 0157 infection by thoroughly cooking ground beef, by rinsing vegetables thoroughly, by avoiding unpasteurized dairy products and by washing hands before, during and after food preparation. Scrupulous hand washing with soap and water remains our most powerful defense in preventing the transmission of disease. For more information about E. coli, visit this Centers for Disease Control Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/ecoli.htm