Davis County has recorded 18 cases of E. coli this summer, prompting an investigation by the county health department that has failed to identify a particular source.
"You typically have nine cases (in Davis County). This is more like double. When that happens, you have to say: `We've got an outbreak,' " county health director Lewis Garrett said.
One child was hospitalized at Primary Children's Medical Center with kidney failure as a result.
Two sub-strains of a strain associated with cattle have been identified, suggesting two sources, but neither matches the DNA of an E. coli outbreak in Colorado that stemmed from a ConAgra meat plant.
"To see an increase (of cases), the size of the increase, over that time frame, it sparked a pretty intensive investigation by the health department," Garrett said.
The cases are scattered across the north end of the county, making it difficult to pinpoint the source.
"We ask them where they shopped for food, which restaurants they've eaten at in the last two weeks, their cooking habits," Garrett said. "We didn't find any statistical linkage between the cases."
No new cases have been reported this month. Garrett hopes the outbreak is over, "but we could see cases again, if someone with hamburger that has been sitting in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks gets it out and serves it."
No upsurges of E. coli cases have been seen in Weber and Morgan counties.
The E. coli strain from cows is passed to hamburger when cows are slaughtered. But cattle excretion in irrigation water can contaminate fruits and vegetables.
Surfaces used for cutting raw meat should be sanitized before the surface is used for any other purpose, fruits and vegetables should be washed and hamburger should be thoroughly cooked.
"If you order a hamburger from a restaurant, and the center is pink, send it back," Garrett said.
(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
