Outbreak linked to raw cheese grows; 9 cases total, one with kidney failure

"At least nine people have been sickened in three states, an increase of two cases since the outbreak was announced earlier this month. Three of the nine cases required hospitalization, and one person developed a life-threatening complication called Hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which causes a type of kidney failure."

"Whole genome sequencing of the E. coli isolates from the patients shows high similarity, suggesting they came from a common source. The FDA highlighted that the people sickened in this outbreak are young, with over half being less than 5 years old."

"In an infection, STEC makes its way into the intestines and burrows into the mucous layer, where it starts secreting toxin. The toxin can bind to a receptor on certain cells (Gb3) and shut down protein production, causing the cell to die and triggering inflammation."

The FDA reported two additional illnesses in an E. coli outbreak associated with unpasteurized dairy products from Raw Farm. Nine individuals across three states have been affected, with three requiring hospitalization. Whole genome sequencing indicates a common source of infection. Most affected individuals are young children, with over half under five years old. The outbreak strain is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, which can lead to severe complications like Hemolytic uremic syndrome. Raw Farm denies the link and has not issued a recall despite the findings.

Read at Ars Technica