ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Test results from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services of a sampling of the lettuce tested in the ongoing E.coli outbreak in St. Louis County that has sickened over 100 people and sent two to the hospital came back with a negative test result for the bacteria.
The St. Louis County Health Department says that a negative test result for the lettuce does not conclusively rule out the salad as the source of the E. coli outbreak because bacteria like E. coli often occur in isolated pockets within food products, making it possible for a sampling event to miss the pathogen entirely.
"A positive test result confirms contamination and would indicate a possibility that the produce came to the banquet center contaminated." said the County Health Department. "A negative result does not necessarily indicate the absence of the bacteria or eliminate Andre's as a potential source."
Over 100 cases of E. coli in St. Louis County has mainly affected students, parents and guests of Rockwood Summit High School, with two cases having developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare but serious disease that can occur as a complication of an E. coli infection.
The St. Louis County Health Department says the cases associated with this outbreak attended five separate events hosted at or catered through Andre's Banquets and Catering, with the department initially saying details are suggestive of a salad from the company being the source of illness.
More than half are in association with Rockwood Summit High School.
John Armengol Jr, Andre's Banquet and Catering owner, sent a statement to KMOX following the results of the test, while also saying that St. Louis County "wrongly suggested that Andre's was the source of the E. Coli."
"While I am relieved to learn of the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory's negative test results, I will continue to cooperate with the state and local health departments as they now work to determine the source of E Coli that has caused illnesses in the region and which has resulted in individuals who did not attend any events affiliated with Andre's contracting E Coli." said Armengol Jr.
The Department of Public Health says it will continue to monitor the outbreak through standard epidemiological practices and interviews.
