DALLAS, Texas — Health officials in Dallas, Texas, are trying to learn whether a run of E. coli infections in young children traces back to animals children petted at this fall’s State Fair of Texas, which wrapped up its season on Oct. 18 after opening Sept. 25.
Dallas County Health and Human Services is lab testing a cluster of cases involving the Shiga toxin-producing strain of the bacteria. The children range in age, and the department is still interviewing families about where they had been before they got sick.
Dr. Philip Huang, who directs the county health department, said Wednesday his office has identified nine possible cases tied to this cluster, from Dallas County and other parts of North Texas. Some of the children, though not all, have been hospitalized.
Huang also put the numbers in context. The infection shows up all year, he said, and the county logged 23 cases in October of last year, so the current count is not unusual for the season. The department has not formally labeled the cases an outbreak.
Children’s Medical Center Dallas has reported seeing more cases of the bacteria lately. The illness usually spreads by mouth through contaminated food or water or contact with infected animals, and early signs include vomiting and bloody stools.
The fair said guest safety, especially for children, is its top priority. It has not been officially notified of the reports, has no verified information on the cause of any illness, and said it will work with public health officials. It said its animal exhibits already use safety steps that federal health officials at the CDC advise to cut the risk of illness.
Filed under: Dallas TX Health News
