• Posted June 24, 2025

Child Dies After Suspected E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Butcher Shops in France

A 12-year-old girl has died and seven other children were sickened after a suspected outbreak of a rare foodborne illness in northern France.

Before getting sick, French officials say, all of the children had eaten meat products from two butcher shops (boucheries) in the city of Saint-Quentin, about 80 miles northeast of Paris. The first cases were reported June 12, CBS News reported.

Five of the children were diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and even death.

So far, investigators have not confirmed what caused the outbreak. But the two butcher shops — La Direction and Family — have been shut down as a precaution while samples are tested. Results are expected early next week.

It is "impossible at this stage to confirm that the consumption of products from these two establishments is the source of the contamination," local authorities in France said.

An investigation is also underway to figure out where the meat came from, CBS News said.

HUS is a rare illness that usually follows an E. coli infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

E. coli bacteria live in the guts of people and animals and can spread through contaminated food.

HUS affects about 100 to 165 children in France each year, the country’s public health agency said. It can occur when small blood vessels are damaged, causing clots to form throughout the body and possible kidney damage, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In the U.S., recent E. coli outbreaks have also raised alarms.

Earlier this month, ground beef sold across the United States was recalled for possible E.coli contamination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In November, nearly 40 people across 18 states got sick after eating contaminated carrots from California. At least 15 people were hospitalized and one died, the CDC said.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on E. coli.

SOURCE: CBS News, June 23, 2025