E. coli Kills Two U.S. Children: Here's What You Need to Know About the Bacteria

September 12, 2014

The parents of the 4-year-old girl who died Monday after contracting E. coli are planning to take legal action against an Oregon hospital, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City, that allegedly failed to properly diagnose the illness. Following a Labor Day celebration, young Serena Profitt had complained of a fever and stomach cramps, but the hospital had ruled out E. coli without actually testing for it and sent her home, the girl’s aunt, Aleasha Hargitt, told local television station KATU-TV. Serena was later rushed to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, where she suffered a stroke and died from a form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that occurs in 10 percent of those infected with E. coli, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, a 5-year-old friend of Serena’s remains in critical condition with E. coli, and, in an unrelated case, a 3-year-old Washington girl died of the bacterial infection on Sept. 5.