About E. coli

Your information source for E. coli, sponsored by Marler Clark

Finley School District E. coli Outbreak

In October, 1998, the Finley School District prepared and served a ground beef taco lunch at the Finley Elementary School. The ground beef utilized in the lunch was ground beef supplied by Northern States Beef through the National School Lunch Program. The ground beef was contaminated with the E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria.

An investigation by the Washington State Department of Health concluded that contaminated, undercooked ground beef in the school lunch tacos was the cause of an E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak that occurred at the Finley Elementary School.

Several children suffered from Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, and were hospitalized.