23 States Report E. Coli Infection From Spinach

As of Sept. 20 the CDC said in a press release that 23 states had reported 146 cases of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infection related to eating fresh spinach. Cases included 23 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a form of kidney failure; 66 hospitalizations; and one death in Wisconsin.

"We are advising consumers to not eat any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach that are consumed raw," said the release.

People who develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends should contact a health care professional and ask for their stool samples to be tested for E. coli 0157:H7, the release advised.

The states that have reported cases of E. coli 0157:H7 and the numbers of cases they've reported are Arizona (4 cases), California (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3), Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Kentucky (7), Maine (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (7), New Mexico (5), Nevada (1), New York (9), Ohio (15), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (7), Utah (16), Virginia (1), Washington (2), Wisconsin (40) and Wyoming (1).

In contrast, CDC's health alert Sept. 14 noted reports of 50 E. coli 0157:H7 cases in eight states. The alert advised reporting cases to local and state public health officials and asked officials to report cases to the CDC's Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch at (404) 639-0776.

An FDA news release reported that Natural Selection Foods LLC of San Juan Bautista, Calif., on Sept. 15 announced a voluntary recall of spinach-containing products the company packed -- under many brand names -- and River Ranch of Salinas, Calif., on Sept. 17 announced a voluntary recall of spinach-containing products it packed.