DAYTON, OH—Three people are listed in serious condition after they were hospitalized in connection with an E. coli outbreak apparently linked to a July 3 picnic in Germantown.
A four-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy and a 73-year-old male are in serious condition. Health officials are still trying to figure out the exact food source from the picnic that has sickened at least 68 people.
Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County officials said the three in serious condition have been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infection that can lead to kidney damage or kidney failure.
HUS is the most common cause of sudden, short-term acute kidney failure in children. HUS can be fatal in rare cases, but most children recover without permanent health damage.
The E. coli outbreak has been linked to a July 3 customer appreciation picnic at Neff’s Lawn Care in Germantown; of those taken ill, 16 have been confirmed as having E. coli 0157.
Public health workers are interviewing people who became ill after attending the picnic. They are trying to identify the source of the E. coli contamination, said health department spokesman Bill Wharton.
