19 people ill in E. coli linked to Costco chicken salad

Authorities have not officially determined the source of the contamination, but Craig Wilson, Costco vice president of food safety and quality assurance, told the Associated Press he was told by the Food and Drug Administration that the strain of E. coli seems to be connected to an onion and celery mix.

According to a news release from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, two Montanans required hospitalization after eating Costco rotisserie chicken salad, though it is unclear whether either of those individuals suffered kidney failure, as was reported by the by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a news release November 24.

This current strain that has been linked to Costco was identified, as E. coli 157 that the CDC has said is more apt to be more harmful in particular for young children. The number of ill people reported from each state is as follows: California (1), Colorado (4), Missouri (1), Montana (6), Utah (5), Virginia (1), and Washington (1). The CDC issued a warning to Costco customers encouraging them to throw out any of the store’s chicken salad.

“I am not aware in 25 years of doing this of one chicken outbreak linked to this strain of E.coli O157”, Marler said.

Although there is no confirmed death due to the outbreak, the E. coli strain which produces Shiga toxin can be potentially fatal as it may result to death. No further infections have been reported, Mr. Wilson said. So far, the investigation has not identified what specific ingredient in the chicken salad is linked to the illness.

A lawyer who represents people who were sickened in the outbreak related to Chipotle, said it appears as though this outbreak is serious since two of the people sickened and hospitalized developed a type of kidney failure.

Colorado health officials added four of the cases reflect patients whom have already recovered.

Chipotle chose to voluntarily close 43 of its restaurants in OR and Washington after the outbreak.

Health officials urge anyone with the symptoms, especially people who have eaten Costco chicken salad, to go to their doctor.

Symptoms of E. coli infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting.

State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to obtain information about foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before their illness started.