Friday August 31, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- W ashington Department of Health (DOH) and Oregon Department of Human Services August 30 announced that an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened at least six people in Washington and two people in Oregon may be linked to consumption of extra lean ground beef produced by Interstate Meats, based in Clackamas, Oregon.

The cases involving one child and five adults in King, Island and Clallam counties in Washington were reported in late July and the first week of August, according to the DOH. Two people were hospitalized and have recovered.  Two cases of E coli O157:H7 illness were also reported in Oregon, apparently associated with consumption of the ground beef.

"The first eight confirmed cases were in six households, one in Oregon and five in Washington, said Dr. William E. Keene, senior epidemiologist at the Oregon Public Health Division's communicable disease section. "Our investigation revealed that these households had purchased ground beef from the same source at grocery stores in Oregon and Washington."

Two families sicken by the E coli tainted ground beef have contacted Bill Marler, a food poisoning attorney, according to the Washington-based law firm.

A total of 41,305 pounds of ground beef was potentially contaminated with E coli, but retail establishments are no longer selling the product as the product was indicated for sale before August 8, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

But the FSIS said in its yesterday's alert that some E. coli O157:H7 tainted ground beef may be still in the procession of consumers.  The federal food safety agency urged consumers to check their freezers to see if any the affected beef was stocked.

"If you have any low-fat hamburger in your freezer, check the label for the brand name and the SELL BY date. If it meets the description, be safe and throw it out," said Dr. Keene.

The ground beef was sold under the brand name "Northwest Finest" and the label put on the 16 ounce packages reads either "Northwest Finest 7% FAT, NATURAL GROUND BEEF." and a UPC code of 752907 600127; or "Northwest Finest 10% FAT, Organic GROUND BEEF."

The establishment number on the package is "Est. 965" located inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection and a sell-by date should be between August 1 and August 11, the Washington Department of Health advised.

The ground beef contaminated with E coli O157:H7 was produced on various days between July 19 and July 30 and distributed in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon ad Washington states.  In Washington, The product was sold at Safeway, QFC and Fred Meyer and potentially other groceries.

Most types of E. coli bacteria, which are naturally inhabitants in human intestines, do not cause any harm.  Presence of E. coli in a food may indicate fecal contamination.  But the O157:H7 strain is pathogenic, meaning it can cause an illness.

Most people who are infected with E. coli O157:H7 may not develop serious symptoms if any.  The infection can cause an illness with symptoms including severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps in two to eight days. The illness resolves in 5 to 10 days.

But children under 5 years of age, the elderly, and those with their immune systems compromised, the virulent E. coli can cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. In the United States, about 100,000 E coli cases are reported each year.

"With the Labor Day weekend ahead of us, this is a timely reminder that uncooked meat and poultry should always be handled with caution," said Dr. Keene. "Meat may be safer than it used to be, but it is still always prudent to assume that uncooked meat and poultry are contaminated and to handle them accordingly."

To help prevent E coli infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives the following advice.

Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly. Because ground beef can turn brown before disease-causing bacteria are killed, use a digital instant-read meat thermometer to ensure thorough cooking. Ground beef should be cooked until a thermometer inserted into several parts of the patty, including the thickest part, reads at least 160º F. Persons who cook ground beef without using a thermometer can decrease their risk of illness by not eating ground beef patties that are still pink in the middle.

If you are served an undercooked hamburger or other ground beef product in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking. You may want to ask for a new bun and a clean plate, too.

Avoid spreading harmful bacteria in your kitchen. Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, counters, and utensils with hot soapy water after they touch raw meat. Never place cooked hamburgers or ground beef on the unwashed plate that held raw patties. Wash meat thermometers in between tests of patties that require further cooking.