News

July 8, 2010 at 4:59 AM

Camp counselor contracts E. coli

By Zach Geiger and Nathan Pipenberg
Collegian Staff Writers
A camp counselor staying in East Halls for a tennis camp visited Mt. Nittany Medical Center June 29, where it was determined that the individual had contracted E. coli, a serious form of food poisoning. Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said university officials couldn't confirm that the counselor contracted the illness while at Penn State. "We don't know where it was contracted," Powers said, adding that Penn State is investigating the incident. The counselor, a New York resident, arrived at Penn State on June 25 and visited Mt. Nittany Medical Center four days later. The incubation time before individuals begin to show E. coli symptoms is about three to four days, according to the Centers for Disease Control's website. "We're trying to piece together some pieces of the puzzle that we have very limited information on," Powers said. Representatives from University Health Services and other Penn State officials met Wednesday to discuss the situation, and have contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Health. University officials are also working across borders with the Ohio and New York Departments of Health, respectively, as per Pennsylvania law regarding communicable diseases, Powers said. Powers said there was an indication that three other individuals reported digestive system problems, but none of them reported having E. coli. Findlay Commons provides food for all participants at Penn State sports camps, which currently enroll more than 1,400 individuals, Powers said. "It would be really unusual because we have so many university food health protocols in place," Powers said. It would be the first case of food poisoning at Penn State in 31 years, she said.

Related Articles:

blog comments powered by Disqus

PSU Collegian readers searching for the list of best dentists in University Park, can find this dentist list and directory at thirdage.com
Whether you are looking for apartments for rent in University Park or throughout PA, check out the apartment options available online.
Long Distance Moving Companies