<p>Just got word through the parent listserv that UNC-CH has had an E.coli 0157:H7 outbreak. They have the State Disease Control Branch in investigating and trying to determine the source of the contamination. My husband has had this particularly lovely little bug and he was horribly ill for several weeks, so I’m a little bit worried. My d is salad, raw veggie fanatic (refuses to eat cooked vegetables), and after the spinach scare, I’m concerned about cross contamination and food services supply. Usually you think of the raw/undercooked hamburger thing being the culprit, but clearly that is not always the case. </p>
<p>Have any of you heard from your kids’ colleges regarding outbreaks? Is this something common on college campuses?</p>
<p>I’m sorry to hear about this, ldmom. I haven’t heard anything about this at my son’s college, but I lived in the NW when the first outbreaks occurred at Jack in the Box. I’m more familiar with it occurring as the result of undercooked beef, and though I’d assume there’s a risk of cross contamination, food preparation people must be aware of that. Good luck!</p>
<p>I got the email today from the University. They have both Orange County Health Department and NC Communicable Disease Branch as well as Dep’t of Environment, Health and Safety investigating. It seems to still be a small outbreak, but they haven’t yet figured out the source. They are asking students, staff and faculty with symptoms to go immediately to the Ambulatory Health Care Center (UNC Medical Center) or Campus Health Services.</p>
<p>I remember the undercooked beef thing at Jack in the Box! Didn’t eat a fast food hamburger for the longest time. I’m still pretty weird about cooking the burgers until they are well done, or as my husband puts it, hockey pucks. :)</p>