Michigan State University

  • 27 ill with E. coli at Michigan State; links with another 8 cases in MI

    Posted: September 24th, 2008 - 1:16am by Doug Powell

    One of the advantages of DNA fingerprinting of bugs that make people sick is that previously hidden patterns emerge.

    If Canadians stopped using stagecoaches to transport samples – or developed any kind of urgency around the listeria outbreak – maybe links would have emerged earlier and lives saved.

    The outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 at Michigan State University took a new twist Tuesday when state health officials announced that the same strain of O157 has been linked to at least eight other cases throughout the state, including one at the University of Michigan and five at the Lenawee County Jail.

    The findings have led investigators to believe that the patients all got ill from ingesting the same contaminated food source.

    The Detroit News reports that,

    “Within the last two weeks, 27 students at MSU fell ill with bloody diarrhea, including seven who needed to be hospitalized. Stool samples in eight of the patients showed that E. coli O157:H7 was the culprit. …

    “Lab test results, called DNA fingerprinting, for three MSU students matched those of patients who became sick from E. coli in Washtenaw, St. Clair, Wayne and Lenawee counties since Sept. 8.”

    DNA fingerprinting is a wonderful tool – when used in a timely fashion.
     

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    Cafeterias, Michigan State University, Msu, Residence
  • 10 Michigan State students sickened with persistent bloody diarrhea; 7 still in hospital, doc says it 'isn't serious'

    Posted: September 16th, 2008 - 2:24pm by Doug Powell

    Six weeks after an outbreak of E. coli O157 associated with food service at the University of Guelph – will a report ever be issued – Michigan State University officials were told on Monday Sept. 15, 2008, that 10 students had become ill and sought help over the past several days for persistent symptoms of bloody diarrhea.

    University Physician Beth Alexander said the illness was likely caused by a certain strain of E. coli and that although only two of the cases have been linked to the same strain of bacteria, the remaining eight cases could be linked within the week.

    Alexander added,

    “Generally, the infection isn’t serious. It’s usually caused by food or water that has been contaminated with that bacteria.”

    I’m not sure at what point shiga-toxin producing E. coli and its tell-tale bloody diarrhea isn’t serious. The people of Locust Grove, OK, with their 314 illnesses, including 65 children, and one death, related to an outbreak of E. coli O111 probably think it is serious. So do the kids with blood coming out of their asses in Michigan.
     
    Investigators are determining     where and when the students ate based on swipes of their MSU ID cards in campus cafeterias and eateries. That information should be available today and will help determine whether something exists in the food supply that may still be a threat.
     

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    Michigan State University, Msu, Sick, Students