DALLAS - Dallas County Health and Human Services and State Fair of Texas officials continue to investigate if nine confirmed cases of E. coli came from the fair's petting zoo.
North Texas E. coli cases
What we know:
On Wednesday, Dalllas County Health and Human Services officials confirmed they're investigating nine cases of E. coli that may have originated from the petting zoo at the State Fair of Texas.
That's up from seven confirmed cases on Tuesday. The common thread between all nine cases is a trip to the State Fair of Texas prior to the infection.
"Wanna get the word out," Dr. Philip Huang with DCHHS tells FOX 4's Peyton Yager. "It can be very serious."
Dr. Philip Huang
The patients are of different ages and are all infected with the ‘shiga toxin-producing E. coli.’ Several patients are hospitalized at Dallas hospitals.
State Fair of Texas officials say there is no verified information establishing the cause of the reported illnesses.
Dig deeper:
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli spreads via contaminated food, water, or animals, followed by hand-to-mouth contact.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, bloody stool, and vomiting.
E. coli
Severe cases can lead to kidney failure. Last year, Stephanie Rogers' daughter Lily was hospitalized for 45 days from an E. coli infection unrelated to the current cases, and still suffers from kidney issues.
Local perspective:
Three of the North Texas families with children hospitalized due to an E. coli infection are getting help from Parker's Promise, a nonprofit that supports families affected by environmental pathogens.
Mary McGonigle-Martin with Parker's Promise tells FOX 4's Peyton Yager, "Going to petting zoos are an extremely high-risk activity for young kids."
The organization has reached out to another family impacted by an E. coli infection. All four families attended the State Fair prior to their infection.
What you can do:
Anyone who may be infected with this E. coli strain is urged to contact their doctor or Dallas County Health and Human Services.
The Source: Information in this story comes from Dallas County Health and Human Services, Parker's Promise, and previous FOX 4 reporting.