Although the CDC is still reporting only 29 ill in Ohio and Michigan total. On the ground in the states there are different numbers.
The Ohio Department of Health said cases had been reported in Wood, Lucas, Mahoning, Clermont, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Lorain, and Summit counties. Thus far Wood county has reported 20 illnesses.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and three local health departments – Kent, Ottawa and Oakland – are investigating a recent increase in the number of illnesses related to E. coli bacteria. Thus far MDHHA has reported 98 illnesses.
Although ground beef may still be a possibility for the vector of the outbreak (HUS used to be called “the hamburger disease”), it seems unlikely in 2022 we would be seeing that much undercooking occurring across such a wide geographical area. In addition, although the first decade of my practice was hamburger and E. coli, the last two decades have been leafy greens and E. coli. Also, the epi curve seems a bit tight – July 26 to August 6 – which to me argues for a perishable product. However, with the CDC reporting 38% of the illnesses are women, that argues against leafy greens as most outbreaks involving leafy greens have 60% or more being women.
My bet is leafy greens.
E. coli outbreaks associated with lettuce, specifically the “pre-washed” and “ready-to-eat” varieties, are by no means a new phenomenon. In fact, the frequency with which this country’s fresh produce consuming public has been hit by outbreaks of pathogenic bacteria is astonishing. Here are just a sample of E. coli outbreaks based on information gathered by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Kansas State University, Barf Blog and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
| Date | Vehicle | Etiology | Confirmed Cases | States/Provinces |
| July 1995 | Lettuce (leafy green; red; romaine) | E. coli O157:H7 | 74 | 1:MT |
| Sept. 1995 | Lettuce (romaine) | E. coli O157:H7 | 20 | 1:ID |
| Sept. 1995 | Lettuce (iceberg) | E. coli O157:H7 | 30 | 1:ME |
| Oct. 1995 | Lettuce (iceberg; unconfirmed) | E. coli O157:H7 | 11 | 1:OH |
| May-June 1996 | Lettuce (mesclun; red leaf) | E. coli O157:H7 | 61 | 3:CT, IL, NY |
| May 1998 | Salad | E. coli O157:H7 | 2 | 1:CA |
| Feb.-Mar. 1999 | Lettuce (iceberg) | E. coli O157:H7 | 72 | 1:NE |
| Oct. 1999 | Salad | E. coli O157:H7 | 92 | 3:OR, PA, OH |
| Oct. 2000 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 6 | 1:IN |
| Nov. 2001 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 20 | 1:TX |
| July-Aug. 2002 | Lettuce (romaine) | E. coli O157:H7 | 29 | 2:WA, ID |
| Nov. 2002 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 13 | 1:Il |
| Dec. 2002 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 3 | 1:MN |
| Oct. 2003-May 2004 | Lettuce (mixed salad) | E. coli O157:H7 | 57 | 1:CA |
| Apr. 2004 | Spinach | E. coli O157:H7 | 16 | 1:CA |
| Nov. 2004 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 6 | 1:NJ |
| Sept. 2005 | Lettuce (romaine) | E. coli O157:H7 | 32 | 3:MN, WI, OR |
| Sept. 2006 | Spinach (baby) | E. coli O157:H7 and other serotypes | 205 | Multistate and Canada |
| Nov./Dec. 2006 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 71 | 4:NY, NJ, PA, DE |
| Nov./Dec. 2006 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 81 | 3:IA, MN, WI |
| July 2007 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 26 | 1:AL |
| May 2008 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 9 | 1:WA |
| Oct. 2008 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 59 | Multistate and Canada |
| Nov. 2008 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 130 | Canada |
| Sept. 2009 | Lettuce: Romaine or Iceberg | E. coli O157:H7 | 29 | Multistate |
| Sept. 2009 | Lettuce | E. coli O157:H7 | 10 | Multistate |
| April 2010 | Romaine | E. coli O145 | 33 | 5:MI, NY, OH, PA, TN |
| Oct. 2011 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 60 | Multistate |
| April 2012 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 28 | 1:CACanada |
| June 2012 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 52 | Multistate |
| Sept. 2012 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 9 | 1:PA |
| Oct. 2012 | Spinach and Spring Mix Blend | E. coli O157:H7 | 33 | Multistate |
| Apr. 2013 | Leafy Greens | E. coli O157:H7 | 14 | Multistate |
| Aug. 2013 | Leafy Greens | E. coli O157:H7 | 15 | 1:PA |
| Oct. 2013 | Ready-To-Eat Salads | E. coli O157:H7 | 33 | Multistate |
| Apr. 2014 | Romaine | E. coli O126 | 4 | 1:MN |
| Apr. 2015 | Leafy Greens | E. coli O145 | 7 | 3:MD, SC, VA |
| June 2016 | Mesclun Mix | E. coli O157:H7 | 11 | 3:IL, MI, WI |
| Nov. 2017 | Leafy Greens | E. coli O157:H7 | 67 | Multistate and Canada |
| Mar. 2018 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 219 | Multistate and Canada |
| Oct. 2018 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 62 | Multistate and Canada |
| Nov. 2019 | Romaine | E. coli O157:H7 | 167 | Multistate |
| Dec. 2020 | Leafy Greens | E. coli O157:H7 | 40 | Multistate |
| Jan. 2021 | Baby Spinach | E. coli O157:H7 | 15 | Multistate |
| Mar. 2022 | Packaged Salad | E. coli O157:H7 | 10 | Multistate |