Three cases of E. coli infection in Tennessee children are under investigation by the Knox County Health Department. The children, ages 14, 4 and 1, were originally admitted to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The hospital has reported four recent cases of food poisoning, but one of those did not originate in the county, according to the health department.
Two of the children, a four-year-old brother and one-year-old sister, may have become ill after eating Cargill frozen hamburger patties, which have been recalled. The family grilled the hamburgers on September 29 after having purchased them on September 17 at Sam’s Club near their West Knoxville home.
By October 3, the boy had bloody diarrhea. He was taken to the hospital on October 4, while his sister was admitted on October 7. The siblings were taken to U.T. Medical Center this afternoon. According to Jim McDonald, their father, his son needs to undergo kidney dialysis.
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.
The Law Firm of Eric H. Weinberg currently represents victims of food poisoning outbreaks throughout the United States. If you or a loved one have been harmed by E. coli food poisoning linked with the Cargill recall or any other source, and you have a question about your legal rights, please call us toll free at 1-877-934-6274 for a free case evaluation, or fill out a Free Case Evaluation form. To learn more about the Law Firm of Eric H. Weinberg, please see Food Poisoning Lawyer.
For more information about the Cargill recall, please see the following news posts: October 11 Cargill Recall and October 8 Frozen Hamburger Patties Recall.
