ST. CHARLES COUNTY — Another lawsuit was filed on Monday alleging that a caterer served lettuce tainted with E. coli, marking the region’s 10th such lawsuit related to a national outbreak. However, this particular lawsuit targeted a new caterer.
Melanie Smith, a school teacher in St. Charles County, became ill after consuming salad from Concetta’s Catering, based in St. Charles, at a school event in early November, according to the lawsuit.
Attorneys indicated that the same E. coli strain found in the St. Louis County cases was present, which is part of a 10-state outbreak linked to lettuce from the California company Taylor Farms.
“Missouri — specifically St. Louis and St. Charles counties — has emerged as the focal point of this significant national E. coli outbreak,” stated Texas-based attorney Jory Lange, who filed the lawsuit in St. Charles County and also represents multiple clients in St. Louis County.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently identified an iceberg and romaine lettuce blend as the source of the outbreak. This lettuce is no longer in use.
Smith, the teacher, mentioned that she ate salad from Concetta’s during a meal catered for teachers at parent-teacher conferences, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit outlined that she visited an urgent care clinic on Nov. 12 after experiencing typical E. coli symptoms and was admitted to the hospital three times subsequently with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe condition that causes blood clotting and can harm kidneys and other organs.
Smith remained hospitalized for a total of 13 days between Nov. 13 and Dec. 5, the lawsuit stated, and underwent three blood transfusions.
Concetta’s chose not to comment on the lawsuit on Monday. Its website mentions catering services for weddings and corporate events, as well as bar service at approximately 45 venues across the region.
Federal health authorities have connected 69 genetically linked E. coli cases to Missouri and nine other states — Kansas, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Indiana, and three unnamed states, according to the lawsuit.
Of the 69 confirmed cases, at least 25 were in St. Louis County and were genetically tied to Andre’s Banquets & Catering, a company that health authorities stated catered the five events where contaminated food was consumed with over 100 individuals reporting E. coli illness in St. Louis County.
John Armengol Jr., the second-generation owner of Andre’s, has vehemently denied that the outbreak was associated with Andre’s.
Lange, the attorney, suggested that for every genetically confirmed case of the E. coli strain, O157:H7, there were approximately 20 undocumented cases where individuals either did not seek medical help or did not undergo a stool test.
Lange estimated that this outbreak likely affected more than 1,700 people nationwide.
Several cases were reportedly noted in St. Charles County, according to Lange.
St. Charles County health officials have not disclosed any incidents and did not respond immediately to inquiries on Monday.
Last week, St. Louis County health officials announced that the E. coli outbreak that affected numerous individuals locally was linked to a series of cases identified in 10 states.
In total, 115 individuals fell ill in St. Louis County with 13 requiring hospitalization. Three individuals developed the same critical condition that caused kidney damage, similar to what Smith experienced.
Investigators described it as the “largest of its kind identified in the area.”
Escherichia coli bacteria typically reside in the intestines of healthy people and animals. While most strains are harmless when transmitted, O157, the strain in the St. Louis County outbreak, produces a toxin that can lead to severe diarrhea and kidney failure, particularly in young children or older adults.
Andre’s was linked to the outbreak on Nov. 15 when county health officials stated that 64 suspected or confirmed E. coli cases were associated with two Rockwood Summit High School events catered by the chain in early November.
A few days later, county officials declared that the outbreak was related to a total of five events — including an Oakville High band banquet and two funeral-related gatherings — all catered by Andre’s as the recorded cases continued to rise.
At the end of last month, the state health department reported that an unopened package of iceberg lettuce retrieved from the business did not contain the bacteria.
However, attorneys mentioned that despite the negative E. coli results, the cases were still linked to Andre’s, which could be held legally accountable under the state’s strict product liability law.
Taylor Farms also provided McDonald’s with tainted yellow onions for Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
This outbreak, initially reported on Oct. 22, resulted in one fatality and at least 104 illnesses in 14 states, according to the FDA.
The farm has not responded to requests for comment.
Tainted salad in St. Louis came from farm tied to McDonald’s E. coli outbreak, lawyer says
Testing lettuce, seizing pimentos: How St. Louis County tracked the E. coli outbreak
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