E. coli cases at Bengston's Pumpkin Farm linked to baby goat, Will County health officials say

Will County health officials said cases of E. coli in people who visited Bengston's Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen, Illinois, have been traced back to one baby goat in their petting zoo.

Health officials said advanced DNA testing identified a "close genetic link" found in people who had confirmed E. coli cases and bacteria collected from a baby goat at the farm's petting zoo.

While samples from several animals in the petting zoo and on the farm tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, only the bacteria from the baby goat were closely related to the bacteria found in those who were sickened.

Health officials said they did not identify any sources of E. coli in the farm's food services operations.

The Will County Health Department said they received 270 responses to a confidential survey from people who visited the farm and reported developing symptoms. Of those, 159 were classified as probably cases while one two additional cases from the initially reported five were laboratory confirmed. That brings the total of laboratory confirmed cases to seven.