LOGO[1]AP reported this week that Arizona health officials say four cases of E. coli infections involving children at Arizona child care centers appear to be linked to eating soynut butter produced by a Glenview, Illinois-based company that is conducting a voluntary recall.

The Arizona Department of Health Services recommends consumers avoid eating the SoyNut Butter Co.’s I.M. Healthy brand soynut butter.

The department says the four cases occurred in January in Coconino and Maricopa counties and involved children under age 5. All have recovered from the illness.

Soyonut Butter Co.’s voluntary recall is for I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter with the “Best By” date of Aug. 30 or 31 of 2018.

Lynne Terry reported today that County health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak at a Montessori school in Northeast Portland that may also be linked to the SoyNut Butter Co.’s I.M. Healthy brand soynut butter.

At least four people at the school, Montessori of Alameda, have been infected, according to the Multnomah County Health Department. They include three preschool children and an adult.

Others have been tested, and the county awaits those results, said Dr. Paul Lewis, the tri-county health officer, in an email.

CDC, multiple states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coliO157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) infections.

Sixteen people infected with the outbreak strains of STEC O157:H7 have been reported from nine states:  Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Wisconsin, Missouri, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey

Eight ill people have been hospitalized. Five people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, and no deaths have been reported.

Fourteen of the 16 ill people in this outbreak are younger than 18 years old.