E. coli cases prompt closures at California and Illinois farms

Marcus Bennett

The County of San Luis Obispo Department of Public Health confirmed five Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections and is investigating a possible link to visits at Brookshire Farms in the city of San Luis Obispo.

Nothing confirms the farm as the source. The department is examining a potential link to the farm's pumpkin patch. Public Health lists Oct. 16 through 26 as the suspected exposure period. The infection source remains under investigation.

“We are working diligently to identify the source of these infections to protect the health of our community,” said County Health Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin. “We encourage anyone who may have been exposed and is experiencing symptoms consistent with E. coli infection to seek immediate medical attention.”

What does the California warning cover?

Public Health advised anyone who visited the Brookshire Farms pumpkin patch or corn maze between Oct. 16 and 26, and who has gastrointestinal symptoms, to contact a healthcare provider.

• Cramping abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea, usually appearing three to 10 days after the visit.
• Severe cramps, decreased urination, unusual paleness or lethargy.

Children under 10 face the highest risk of complications. HUS can develop a week or more after diarrhea starts. Parents should seek care and tell clinicians about the farm visit.

Why did Brookshire Farms close?

Brookshire Farms closed while Public Health completes its investigation and determines whether additional community members could be at risk.

The department is gathering information, investigating potential exposures and conducting follow-up activities to determine whether the five confirmed cases are connected at the farm. Public Health asks people contacted by investigators to cooperate with requests for information that can help identify the source.

The farm's promotional listings described numerous visitor amenities.

• Hayrides, grain-cart rides and pedal carts.
• A jumping pillow, duck races and a playground.
• A hay climb, hay maze and corn maze.
• Farm animals, according to a U-pick directory.

The available findings describe the site, not the transmission pathway. They do not identify an infected animal, food item or other route. Public Health has not linked a specific attraction to the five cases.

What is happening at Bengtson's?

Four of five children with E. coli infections who had visited Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen, Illinois, have been hospitalized, and public-health investigators continue working at the property. All five visited the farm before becoming ill.

Bengtson's closed its petting zoo on Oct. 23. It kept the rides, food stands and corn maze open. Investigators collected animal and environmental samples on Oct. 26. Results are expected around Nov. 5.

Public guidance for Bengtson's covers visits on or after Sept. 29. It calls for medical care if a child develops bloody diarrhea, severe cramps, decreased urination, unusual paleness or lethargy, and tells parents to report the farm visit. HUS can develop a week or more after diarrhea starts.

What do the closures establish?

Brookshire Farms closed, while Bengtson's shut only its petting zoo and kept rides, food stands and corn maze operating. That difference does not establish cause. Neither closure identifies the infection source.

No hospitalization count was provided for California's five cases. No attendance, ticket-price or revenue figures were provided for either farm. Without those operating numbers, the financial effect cannot be quantified.

Results expected around Nov. 5 and any confirmed connection between the cases and farm visits will carry more evidentiary weight than closure decisions alone. The next reporting should focus on test findings, identified exposures and whether public-health officials expand their warnings.