CDC warns romaine lettuce linked to E. coli outbreak

Romaine lettuce is unsafe to eat after being linked to a multi-state E. coli outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

Until it can identify which specific batches of lettuce are contaminated, the CDC has asked that consumers avoid "all types or uses of romaine lettuce". One person has developed HUS in the current outbreak.

Canada's Public Health Agency also reported 18 people became ill from the same strain of E. coli.

The alerts, issued as millions of Americans plan their Thanksgiving Day menus, covered all forms of romaine, including whole heads, hearts, bags, mixes and Caesar salad.

The CDC told consumers to throw away any romaine lettuce they may already have purchased.

Restaurants should not serve romaine lettuce, grocery stores should pull it from the shelves, and people should get rid of whatever they might have in the fridge, the CDC said.

The contaminations were believed to have occurred between October 8 and October 31. However, this latest issue doesn't have any relation to the E. coli romaine outbreak that took place earlier this year in the US.

That contamination was eventually traced to Yuma, Ariz., one of the nation's major sources of romaine. Evidence from both the United States and Canadian outbreaks point toward romaine lettuce as the cause of both.

Retailers and restaurants also should not serve or sell any until more is known about the outbreak. Most of the E. coli cases so far come from California, which reported 10.

Unfortunately, antibiotic treatments aren't recommended for dealing with this type of E. coli strain infection, as it may increase their risk of developing a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Most people with the complication recover after a few weeks, but some may suffer permanent damage, and could even die.

This investigation is ongoing and CDC will provide more information as it becomes available.