E. Coli Infection Leads To Young Bay Area Girl's Death

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA -- A San Jose couple is mourning the loss of their 6-year-old daughter, who died Aug. 1 after contracting an E.coli infection. The child was hospitalized after the infection progressed to her kidneys, and while receiving dialysis treatment, she incurred life-threatening complications, according to a fundraising campaign set up in her memory.

It was not immediately clear how the young girl, who passed away at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, contracted the bacterial infection or which strain of E. coli it was.

"My sympathies to the family during this difficult time," said Britt Ehrhardt, communications officer for the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, when contacted by Patch. Ehrhardt said Friday the county was investigating the death and because the investigation was ongoing, she was not able to confirm the specifics of the 6-year-old's tragic death.

According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, most forms of E.Coli, or Escherichia coli, bacteria are harmless; however, some forms cause disease when they make a toxin called Shiga. Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli, or STEC, is responsible for an estimated 30 deaths in the U.S. per year, with children younger than 5 and older adults being the most susceptible to a life-threatening complication from STEC called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, according to the CDC.

In May, the CDC reported a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections linked to I.M. Healthy Brand SoyNut Butter.

Which strain infected the young San Jose girl, it was not clear. But the loss has left her parents, extended family members and friends "shocked, devastated and heartbroken," according to the fundraising campaign.

Editor's note: The family has asked that the child's name be kept private. This story has been updated in response to their request.

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