Posted: September 10th, 2009 - 11:07am by Doug Powell

WJHL??? reports a Tri-Cities boy could receive a blood transfusion today as he recovers from an E. coli infection. Meanwhile, the Northeast Tennessee Health Office is now investigating the case and trying to identify the source of the potentially deadly bacteria.

A week ago, doctors at the Johnson City Medical Center discovered four year-old Gage Peterson had E. coli. Richard Peterson expects his son to receive a blood transfusion at some point Thursday as he remains in the hospital.

According to a Johnson City Medical Center spokesperson, three weeks prior to Peterson’s admission, another child came into the hospital with E. coli. That child is now in the pediatric ICU.