Don't Eat the Spinach — Controlling Foodborne Infectious Disease

Between August 19 and September 5, symptomatic enteritis from Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O157:H7 infection was reported in 199 persons in 26 states in association with consumption of fresh spinach or spinach-containing products. Dr. Dennis Maki asks why outbreaks continue to occur in a country where food production and distribution are intensively regulated at every level. First it was hamburger, then municipal water, apple cider, swimming in the lake, the day-care center, the petting zoo . . . and now, spinach. Is nothing safe? Between August 19 and September 5, 2006, symptomatic enteritis from Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection was reported in 199 persons in 26 states in association with consumption of fresh spinach or spinach-containing products from commercial brands processed by Natural Selection Foods of San Juan Bautista, California. 1 One hundred two of these persons (51%) had been hospitalized as of October 6, and 31 (16%) had acute renal failure from the hemolytic–uremic syndrome or thrombotic . . .