King County child hospitalized with E. coli after reportedly eating tainted I.M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter

SEATTLE -- A King County child is being hospitalized with an E. coli infection linked to a national recall of I.M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter, Public Health Seattle & King County said Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, the SoyNut Butter is believed to have made 16 people sick in nine states, including one confirmed case in a King County child whose parents reported the child ate this brand of soy nut butter.

No other details on the child were provided.

Fourteen of the 16 ill people in this outbreak are younger than 18 years old, the CDC said.

The CDC said it is advising people not eat any variety or size of I.M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter or I.M. Healthy brand granola coated with SoyNut Butter.

"Even if consumers ate this product and did not get sick, the remaining product should be thrown away. CDC recommends wrapping the product in a sealed bag before putting it in the trash so that children and pets can’t eat it," the CDC said in a news release.

Symptoms of STEC infections vary for each person but include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea (often bloody). Most people get better within a week, the CDC said.

But some illnesses can be more severe, resulting in a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in young children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination. People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

Learn more about the outbreak and CDC advice on CDC’s website.