The County of San Luis Obispo Department of Public Health today updated its investigation into the outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) suspected to be linked to an exposure at Brookshire Farms, the pumpkin patch and corn maze on Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo.
The investigation now includes five laboratory-confirmed E. coli O157 cases and eight more cases under investigation – people with symptoms consistent with STEC infection who visited the farm between October 16 and October 26. Three people have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). One additional person was hospitalized and released. That is up from the five confirmed cases the County announced earlier this week.
Brookshire Farms remains closed. The County says the farm has been cooperative and is working with Public Health, but the source of the infections on the farm is still under investigation.
“We encourage anyone who visited the farm during the exposure period and develops symptoms consistent with an E. coli infection to immediately contact their health care provider,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin.
Three HUS cases out of five confirmed is a terrible ratio, and the eight cases under investigation tell me this number is not done growing. We have been here before – pumpkin patches, corn mazes, petting zoos and fairs, where kids, animals, dirt and food all share the same space. This fall alone, Brookshire joins Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm in Illinois on the list of agritourism E. coli outbreaks, and we are still dealing with last year’s Arizona State Fair petting zoo cases. Handwashing signs are not a food safety plan.
What to watch for
Symptoms of STEC infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that is often bloody, vomiting and sometimes fever. Symptoms usually start 3 to 5 days after exposure but can take up to 10 days to appear. Children under 10 are at the highest risk of complications, including HUS.
Anyone who visited Brookshire Farms between October 16 and October 26 and develops these symptoms should contact a health care provider immediately and mention the farm visit. Bloody diarrhea or signs of dehydration call for prompt medical attention. Parents of a child recovering from diarrhea should watch for the warning signs of HUS – decreased urination, unusual paleness, fatigue and irritability – and get the child seen right away if they appear. According to the California Department of Public Health, STEC spreads through contaminated food or water, contact with animals and their environments, contaminated surfaces, and person to person when handwashing falls short.
With Halloween here, the County also recommends washing pumpkins and any surfaces they touch, avoiding further handling once a pumpkin is carved, and washing hands with soap and water after handling pumpkins.
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