A 2-year-old Cleveland County boy remained hospitalized Friday as state officials work to pinpoint the cause of an apparent outbreak of E. coli that has sickened the toddler and many others across the state.

Hunter Tallent of Shelby underwent a third day of dialysis treatments in Charlotte on Friday. His is one of 26 E. coli-related cases the state is investigating. North Carolina health officials said all but three people had visited the state fair in Raleigh.

Hunter is the only victim reported from the Charlotte region, and one of five hospitalized on Friday, according to state health officials.

Hunter and his parents, Lindsay and James Tallent, went to the fair Oct. 15. A few days later, their youngest son fell ill with nausea and diarrhea. He wouldn't move around much.

A pediatrician initially suspected Hunter had caught a bug that was going around. But Lindsay Tallent said she feared it was something more.

After repeated trips to the doctorover the weekend and with Hunter getting sicker, the Tallents took the boy to the emergency room at Gaston Memorial Hospital on Monday.

It wasn't long before tests revealed Hunter's kidneys were failing. Other tests confirmed the E. coli. He was later transferred to Charlotte hospitals.

"It broke my heart," said Lindsay Tallent. "It's not what you were expecting to hear."

Hunter has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a severe and potentially life-threatening complication that affects about 8 to 10 percent of people with E. coli. It can cause kidney failure, anemia and loss of platelets.

Seeking the cause

Tests have confirmed that 10 of the 26 suspected cases were caused by E. coli; the rest remain under investigation, Division of Public Health officials said in a statement. Fourteen of the 26 are from Wake County, with the others from Cleveland, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Orange, Sampson and Wilson counties.

Of the 26 cases reported so far, half involved children under the age of 18.

Public health officials say they consider the State Fair to be the probable cause for the outbreak and plan to talk with some attendees to try to determine the specific source.

A petting zoo was the source of a 2004 E. coli outbreak at the N.C. State Fair that sickened 108 people.

Lindsay Tallent says the family strolled through the barns to look at cows and other animals but says they did not touch any animals. Hunter ate a hot dog, corn dog, some pizza and ice cream, and drank lemonade, his mom said.

Hunter's struggle

Doctors are not sure how long Hunter will remain in the hospital. Recovery from the disease can take weeks or even months. They are looking for signs that his kidneys are working on their own. And that can be the last part of the body to heal, Lindsay Tallent says they've been told.

The Tallents have been keeping friends and family posted via Facebook. Dozens of messages have appeared on the site in recent days. Lindsay and Doc Tallent are Cleveland County firefighters, and members of fire departments and rescue squads - along with other friends and family members - have responded with stuffed animals, flowers, balloons and gifts.

"It's been very wonderful that everyone has been supporting us like that," Lindsay Tallent says. "It's definitely not an easy process, but it's given us comfort." She also praised the doctors and nurses at the Levine Children's Hospital, where Hunter has been since early Tuesday.

Another comforting, if brief, sign came a couple of days ago.

After dialysis treatments, Hunter began to smile and talk more. The happy boy who loves riding tractors with his "Paw-Paws" also was playing some and letting people read him books.

"It was nice to see that smile come back," Lindsay Tallent said. "He hasn't smiled in so many days." Staff writer Steve Lyttle and The (Raleigh) News & Observer contributed