New Law Blogs

Two Children With HUS Survive, Leave Iowa Hospital

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

A 5-year-old boy from Illinois and a 7-year-old girl from Iowa have been released from University of Iowa Children's Hospital after battling severe complications from E. coli O157:H7 infections over the course of a month..

Health officials say the two cases are among a recent cluster of six confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections in southeastern Iowa and western Illinois. They say several things associated with the cases increased the risk of E. coli exposure, "such as drinking unpasteurized apple cider, eating fresh unwashed apples and eating ground beef.''

The parents of the boy and girl who were hospitalized in Iowa City say the two children drank unpasteurized apple cider one day apart from each other at the same pumpkin patch.

Days later, on Oct. 7, they both became ill with cramping and diarrhea. They met in the hospital.

It took two weeks for health officials to confirm that either child was infected with E. coli O157:H7, a delay that the parents said was disappointing. They told KHQA-TV of Quincy, Ill., that not knowing the cause of the symptoms for so long put others at risk of contracting it from person to person,

In addition, doctors early on misdiagnosed the boy's illness and prescribed antibiotics for him -- a treatment that can cause kidney failure in E. coli patients, the station reported.

While hospitalized, both children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a complication of E. coli O157:H7 that can be fatal. KHQA reported that the girl suffered internal bleeding, was at risk of stroke and required kidney dialysis to keep her alive.

Parents of the boy have said their son underwent kidney dialysis, blood transfusions and suffered from respiratory problems while in the hospital. Dr. Pat Brophy, the physician for both children, said they each face long-term health risks as a result of HUS.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on November 06, 2008 (boomark / email).