There has been one death associated with the July E. coli outbreak at Little Rosie’s Taqueria in Huntsville, Alabama. The young, elderly, and immuno-compromised are at greatest risk for serious and life-threatening complications as a result of E. coli food poisoning.

A 48-year-old woman, whose name has not yet been released by the Alabama state health department, died on August 29 after spending several weeks in the hospital on dialysis. She had tested positive for the E. coli strain traced back to shredded lettuce served at Little Rosie’s from June 27 through June 30.

A 69-year-old woman from Huntsville is the only outbreak victim who is still hospitalized. In all, 18 people were infected with E. coli bacteria linked with the Mexican restaurant.

Symptoms of E.coli infection include severe abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea. The diarrhea may become bloody and can lead to dehydration. Complications of E. coli infection may include Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a serious medical condition that occurs in about 2%-7% of cases. HUS is characterized by destruction of red blood cells, damage to the lining of blood vessel walls, and in severe cases, kidney failure. Blood transfusions and kidney dialysis are often required.

For more information about E. coli food poisoning, visit the following pages of this blog: About E. coli and Common Symptoms and Complications. Additional information about the Little Rosie’s outbreak can be found in the “Food Poisoning Outbreaks and Recall News “