E.Coli Infection In Seven States Linked to Costco Chicken

Severe case of food poisoning in seven states is linked to rotisserie chicken salad sold in Costco Wholesale store.

According to CDC official announcement on Tuesday, 19 people have been infected to E.coli bacteria in seven states as of November 23. The investigation was carried out by the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, and public health officials in several states to examine the outbreak. The result based on epidemiologic evidence suggested that chicken salad sold in Costco Wholesale store was a likely source of the outbreak.

The announcement also mentioned that most cases were reported from states in western United States. The cases were reported from California, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Up to now, five people have been hospitalized, and no death have been reported. Two have developed a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome abbreviated HUS. The disease is triggered by toxin in E. coli that caused diarrhea leading to decrease of urine and destruction of red blood cells as kidney fail to filter waste products from the blood.

Reuters reported that according to Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety attorney, the current number of HUS cases is twice what is normally seen with E. coli O157:H7, the pathogen identified in the outbreak. Marler who represents people sickened by tainted food also said, "This tells me that the number of ill is likely going to go up because the HUS cases are easier to track,"

According to Reuters, Costco stopped selling the chicken salad on Nov. 20, the same day Federal health officials notifed Costco that the outbreak was linked to its rotisserie chicken salad. Previously, Costco chicken product was also linked to another outbreak before this one. Last year, salmonella outbreak in nine states was linked to contaminated chicken in Costco store supplied by California-based Foster Poultry Farms. Two weeks ago, Chipotle Mexican Grill was also linked with same E. coli outbreak in its 43 outlets in Washington and Oregon.

Washington is the state suffered from both Costco and Chipotle case. According to CNN, the case in King County was not as serious as the other states. Regardless, the Washington State Epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist said in a statement, "We take E. coli very seriously in Washington," and he also added, "We are working with the CDC and state partners to determine the source."

Costco has stopped selling its rotisserie chicken salad and the investigation is still ongoing to determine the source of the E. coli.