Jury Verdict of 7.55 Million Awarded Against Pumpkin Farm After Child Infected with E. coli

A jury awarded 7.55 million dollar verdict to a child who contracted an E.coli O57 infection that led to HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome) after visiting a MN farm / pumpkin stand in 2013.

From the news release:

"Dehn’s Pumpkins offers a Halloween attraction that is open to the public every year. In 2013, children were allowed to pet and feed cows that are raised on the property. Testimony at trial proved that on the day the child visited the facility, manure, contaminated bedding, and hay were in the enclosure where the cows were kept. Manure was also on the cows’ hides and hooves, and on the gate that separated the children from the animals."
"There were no handwashing stations, warning signs, or any other measures to prevent transmission of disease at the facility. The business owners claimed they had no idea that children could get sick by touching animals. They did not take preventive measures because they didn’t think the setting was a risk to children."
"The 10 year old girl went to the farm with her parents on the weekend of October 12 – 13, 2013 and got sick a few days later. At least seven people were sickened in that particular E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The Minnesota Department of Health linked the illnesses to cows that were in the animal attraction at the farm. At least three of the case patients had bacterial isolates with the same DNA fingerprint."

While this is awful for the child, you have to think every a farm operation that has a petting area for farm animals is reading this and asking themselves if it is worth the risk.  At a minimum, it is important to have handwashing signage and an areas to wash hands.

Food Poisoning Bulletin
https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2016/pritzker-hageman-wins-7-55-million-verdict-for-child-with-hus-e-coli/
Pritzker Hageman Wins $7.55 Million Verdict for Child with HUS E. coli
November 23, 2016 by News Desk Leave a Comment

Children become infected with E. coli at a farms petting zoo

Three children, ages 15 months to 7 years, are ill from E. coli O157:H7 contracted through contact with farm animals at a pumpkin patch in MN. One of the children has been hospitalized with HUS, a very serious condition. Dehns Family Farm and Pumpkin Patch (http://www.dehnspumpkins.com/) is your typical family farm that offers hay rides, a corn maze, wine tasting, and a small petting zoo with farm animals.

As we know, STEC E. coli, as well as other enteric pathogens such as Salmonella, can get onto the hides of farm animals such as cows, sheep, and goats, and these contaminants can be transferred to kids hands. Of course, when kids don’t wash their hands afterwards, those children can become contaminated during eating or just sticking their hands in their mouths.

Farms take on considerable risk when they provide this activity for children. CDC has a webpage and a detailed booklet that provides information on preventing such contamination events. Farms and other organizations should review these before considering whether to hold these animal interactive events such as petting zoos. In this case, the lawsuits are on the way. A hell of a way to lose the farm.

Minnesota Depatment of Health News Release
October 26, 2013http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2013/ecoli102613.html

Health officials investigate E. coli O157 infections at pumpkin patch petting zoo

Three cases confirmed so far

Three Minnesota residents have become ill with confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections after contact with animals at Dehn's Pumpkins in Dayton, MN, the Minnesota Department of Health reported today.

The three cases were all children, ranging in age from 15 months to 7 years and are residents of the Twin Cities metro area. One child is hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication of an E. coli infection characterized by kidney failure. The others were not hospitalized and are recovering. Routine monitoring by the health department identified the E. coli O157:H7 cases, which all have bacterial isolates with the same DNA fingerprint. These cases visited the farm on October 12 or 13, and became ill on October 16 or 18.

The Minnesota Department of Health is in the process of following up with any groups that visited the farm in order to help determine if more people have become ill. At this time, two additional people have reported symptoms consistent with E. coli O157:H7 infection and are currently being tested. These people visited Dehn's on October 18, raising concern that exposures also could have occurred after the weekend of October 12-13.

All of the cases reported having contact with cattle and/or goats at Dehn's. The farm owners have been cooperating fully with the investigation and public access to the cattle and goat areas is being prohibited. The rest of the farm, including the pumpkin patch, remains open for business.

E. coli O157:H7 is commonly found in ruminant animals such as cattle and goats, and this type of exposure is not unique to Dehn's Pumpkins. Outbreaks associated with contact with farm animals are documented virtually every year in Minnesota. Therefore, people who contact ruminants at any venue, public or private, are at risk for infection with E. coli O157:H7, as well as a variety of other germs. People typically become ill from contact with farm animals or their environment by getting bits of feces on their hands after touching the animals or contaminated surfaces, then swallowing the germs while eating, drinking or during other hand-to-mouth activities. Contamination can be present on the fur or in the saliva of animals, on the ground where the animals are kept, or on surfaces such as fence railings of animal pens.