2 kids in Pacific Northwest dead, 1 hospitalized after contracting E. coli

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Health officials are trying to determine how three children in the Pacific Northwest contracted the deadly E. coli bacteria, and if there are any other connected cases. Two of the kids died since they contracted the bacteria.

Brad Sutton, a 5-year-old boy in Oregon, is recovering in a hospital after contracting E. coli, the same infection that claimed the life of his 4-year-old friend, Serena Profitt. Profitt tested positive for a deadly strain of E. coli and her body shut down. Her family took her off life support Monday night.

A Washington health official said the two Oregon cases are not related to that of 3-year-old Brooklyn Hoksbergen of Lynden in northwest Washington, who died a week ago in a Seattle hospital from E. coli.

Sutton and Profitt shared a turkey sandwich and went for a swim on Labor Day weekend in Lincoln County, Oregon. They came down with flu-like symptoms, and both ended up fighting for their lives.

Sutton is in a Tacoma, Washington hospital. His condition was upgraded to serious. Doctors continue to monitor him.

Health officials say they have checked the restaurant where the children shared the turkey sandwich but did not find the source of the E. coli strain.

"We started an investigation almost immediately. We have sent people into the field. We've taken cultures of various possible sources," said Lincoln County Health Officer Dr. David Long.

Officials say it will take several days until the test results are back. They also acknowledge that they may never find the source.

Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director of the communicable disease section of the Oregon Health Authority, said Thursday they need at least twice as many cases to pin down a source, which might be tainted food, lake water, or contact with livestock.

Investigators say they don't expect to find the specific sources of the fatal strains.

The bacteria can incubate for 10 days in a victim before they show symptoms, allowing for a wide range of sources, which can only be narrowed down through matches between multiple victims.

Young children and the elderly are particularly at risk of dying from E. coli. Cieslak said Oregon has had 21 fatal cases of E. coli since 1992, of which seven were under the age of 5, and 10 were over the age of 70.

Victims can die from kidney failure or bleeding in the brain.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.