Gaston County, North Carolina health officials are working to identify the source of an outbreak that resulted in at least 70 children exhibiting symptoms of Salmonella poisoning after attending an etiquette dinner at the City Club in Gastonia on September 9. Thirteen children had been confirmed ill with Salmonella infections by Thursday, and lab results are pending on dozens of other cases.

Marler Clark, the Seattle-based law firm nationally recognized for its successful representation of victims of foodborne illness, has been contacted by several families whose children became ill with Salmonella infections after eating at the City Club. The firm has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella outbreaks in the last ten years, and sponsors a Web site about Salmonella.

"Children are particularly vulnerable to Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens because their immune systems are not yet fully developed," Marler continued. "Their illnesses can be more severe than those caused in healthy adults. It is natural for parents to want to find out more about this illness, and we are providing one of the most comprehensive resources on Salmonella that is out there on the Internet."