21 Cases of E. coli From contaminated Topps Burgers*

Thursday September 27, 2007 2:16 AM

By TOM HESTER Jr.

Associated Press Writer

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Twenty-one people in eight states may have fallen
ill after eating hamburgers possibly contaminated with E. coli bacteria,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said three cases - two in New York and one
in Florida - are confirmed as being linked to the ground beef, with the
other 18 cases possibly linked and under investigation.

No one has died, but Russell said she had no additional information on
the cases.

Elizabeth, N.J.-based Topps Meat Company announced a recall Tuesday for
boxes of frozen hamburgers it distributed. The recall affects 331,582
pounds of frozen beef patties and 21 products that were distributed
nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Topps said.

Russell and USDA spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said the illnesses were
reported in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In Florida, the parents of a 15-year-old Fort Lauderdale girl sued
Wal-Mart on Wednesday, alleging she suffered kidney failure in August
after eating a Topps hamburger patty tainted with E. coli that her
mother bought at Wal-Mart.

Attorney Scott J. Schlesinger said his client, Samantha Safranek, nearly
died and was hospitalized for three weeks with intense pain, cramping,
diarrhea, fatigue and dehydration.

Schlesinger did not say why his client had not sued Topps as well.

An after-hours message left with Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart was
not immediately returned.

E. coli causes intestinal illness that generally clears up within a week
for adults but can be deadly for the very young, the elderly and people
with compromised immune systems. Symptoms can include severe stomach
cramps, bloody diarrhea and, in extreme cases, kidney failure.

Topps spokeswoman Cortney McMahon said officials continue working to
find the cause of the contamination.

``That investigation is still ongoing,'' McMahon said. ``Topps is going
to fully cooperate with the USDA.''

Contaminated burgers were found in one New York victim's home freezer by
health officials.

The boxes recalled carry the number ``Est. 9748'' inside the USDA mark
of inspection and were produced on June 22, July 12 or July 23, the USDA
said.

The recalled products include certain 10-pound boxes of Butcher's Best
100% All Beef Patties; certain 10-pound boxes of Kohler Foods burgers;
certain 10-pound boxes of Sand Castle Fine Meat; some 2-pound boxes of
Topps 100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers; and some 3-pound boxes of Topps
100% Pure Ground Beef Hamburgers.

The company, the leading U.S. manufacturer of frozen hamburgers, said
this was its first recall in its 65-year history.

``First and foremost, Topps Meat Company is concerned with the safety
and welfare of all our customers and we are deeply concerned for those
who became ill,'' said Geoffrey Livermore, the company's operations vice
president.

New Jersey Health Department spokesman Tom Slater said the state has
four suspected cases.

Slater urged consumers to return the product to the store and
immediately call their doctor if they ate the hamburgers and feel
symptoms similar to stomach flu.

At least six people have fallen ill in New York, and three were
hospitalized, officials said. All are recovering.

A full list of the recalled products is available at
http://www.toppsmeat.com/.