Update Thursday, November 3, 8:35 a.m.:
The number of suspected E. coli cases in the St. Louis area is now at 51, and health officials are looking at more items taken from a grocery chain's salad bar.
Health officials have confirmed 26 cases of the illness. Tests are still pending on the others.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that late Tuesday, the state of Missouri received 38 samples from five Schnucks Market stores. The samples included broccoli, deviled eggs, hard boiled eggs, pineapple, carrots, radishes, zucchini, red onions, along with salad dressings.
Original Story:
The Boone County Health Department is investigating three confirmed cases of e-coli. There are two more suspected cases.
Cases like these are rare in Mid-Missouri, but have been in the news lately since an outbreak sickened 33 people in St. Louis.
While the St. Louis cases may be connected to a grocery store salad bar, KRCG has learned there's no known link between Boone County's three cases. The Boone County patients range in age from 11 to 63.
The Mayo Clinic says you may be exposed to E. coli from contaminated water or food - especially raw vegetables and undercooked ground beef. Healthy adults usually recover from infection with E. coli O157:H7 within a week, but young children and older adults can develop a life-threatening form of kidney failure. Symptoms include: diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and nausea.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKRCG