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OGDEN, Utah (AP) -- More than 100 people were exposed to E. coli bacteria, possibly from tainted lettuce served at a convention in June, and at least three were confirmed as contracting the disease, the Weber-Morgan Health Department said.
Gwen Hadley, assistant nursing director for the department, said Saturday that many exposed individuals experienced diarrhea, possibly from E. coli.
The health department said the June 28-30 convention was catered by a local restaurant.
It set up a telephone hotline Thursday and Friday to screen those who attended the convention, Hadley said.
Health department officials first learned of the E. coli outbreak early last week when they received lab reports from a physician who treated one of the infected individuals, she said.
The source of the E. coli appears to have been lettuce that was "cross contaminated," Hadley said. "The organism was probably transmitted from another food source."
Hadley declined to identify the restaurant that served the lettuce.
The health department plans to release the name of the establishment Monday in response to a request for the information from the Standard-Examiner under the Government Records Access and Management Act.
The restaurant has been inspected and is in compliance with health codes and has not been cited in connection with the E. coli outbreak, Hadley said.
Two of the three individuals infected in the recent outbreak developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Corey Cohron, a fifth-grade teacher at Ogden Preparatory Academy, said her 6-year-old son was one of the HUS cases and he got the bacteria from her after she attended a three-day conference for Utah teachers.
The boy is doing better now, but long-term effects include an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes because of the kidney scarring, she said.
"At this point I'm just angry," Cohron said. "I don't know how anybody could live and be this upset."
Cohron had diarrhea for a week, but thought she had stomach flu. She never went to the doctor. Her husband and two children were also sick with diarrhea and vomiting.
One of Cohron's sons was taken to a local hospital when his condition worsened. Originally, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, but his condition continued to worsen, Cohron said.
A few days later, the boy was taken to the emergency room at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, where he required blood transfusions.
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Information from: Standard-Examiner, http://www.standard.net
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
