WALDOBORO, Maine — The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) is warning people who ate deli food at Morse’s Sauerkraut of possible Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection exposure.
According to a press release from the Maine CDC, an infected worker handled food from April 1 through May 13. The Maine CDC says people who food in that timeframe should watch for symptoms of infection, such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Those experiencing such symptoms should contact a health care provider to be tested.
The Maine CDC recommends throwing out food purchased from the deli on those dates because of potential contamination.
The press release says that some infections of STEC are mild, though some can be severe or life-threatening. Very young children and older people are more likely to develop severe illness. Some people may develop a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
Exposures that result in illness include consumption of contaminated food, consumption of unpasteurized (raw) milk, consumption of water that has not been disinfected, contact with cattle, or contact with the feces of infected people. The best ways to prevent STEC infections are to wash your hands, cook meats thoroughly, avoid raw milk consumption, and prevent cross-contamination while cooking.
STEC is primarily transmitted to a person by swallowing the bacteria from a contaminated item. The time between ingesting the bacteria and feeling sick is usually three to four days after exposure, but it may be as short as one day or as long as 10 days. Those experiencing symptoms should contact a health care provider, get tested, and avoid high-risk activities (such as serving or cooking food for others).
For more information on Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), click here.