According to a recently released report by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDOH), 57 individuals who met the case definition[1] were deemed to be part of the outbreak linked to Jim-N-Joe’s Northland Katering.

Of those ill, 65% were women.  All cases reported diarrhea, 96% cramps, 61% bloody stool, 37% vomiting and 19% fever.  37% sought medical treatment with 16% hospitalized.

After an exhaustive investigation, MDOH concluded that the common server at the five events between July 1 and July 17 on the Fond du Lac Reservation was Jim-N-Joe’s Northland Katering.  MDOH also found that the most common food items were the celery and onions.  Potato Salad, which included celery and onions was found to be tainted with E. coli O157:H7.  Cases were also identified at events where potato salad was not served, but celery was.  The celery was traced back to a field adjacent to a defunct dairy operation near Gonzales, California.

We represent several of those hospitalized due to E. coli O157:H7.  See additional documents at Outbreak Database.


[1] A case was defined as an individual who attended an event catered by Jim-N-Joe’s Northland Katering and subsequently developed diarrhea that was bloody or at least three days of duration, or an individual who had E. coli O57:H7 isolated from a stool culture with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the main outbreak pattern.