E. coli Cases from Beef Served at Hoss’s

April 2007

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has identified beef served at Hoss’s Steak and Sea House as the common link in five cases of E. coli O157:H7 reported in four different PA counties. Four out of the five people sickened were hospitalized.

HFX Corp., Hoss’s Pennsylvania processing and distribution center, has voluntarily recalled nearly 260,000 lbs of beef due to possible contamination. Working in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the PA Department of Health, HFX began their recall after the first positive test was confirmed.

The five victims all ate at Hoss’s between March 24 – 29, where each individual ordered steak, with several reporting the item was rare or medium-rare. Risk for contracting E. coli and other forms of food poisoning is increased by consuming raw or undercooked meat.

Signs of E. coli poisoning typically begin seven days after exposure to the bacteria. Symptoms tend to occur in order, beginning with abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea before progressing into bloody diarrhea accompanied by possible fever, nausea, and vomiting. Most E. coli infections are non-fatal, but special cases may result in kidney failure.