Deadly E Coli Outbreak In Europe

[lizbud]

Have been reading the news about a particular deadly strain of E Coli
spreading throught EU right now. Seems to be a new strain that they haven't
heard much about till now. I hope all of our EU PTers stay safe and skip the
fresh veggies till they find the cause of the outbreak.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/02/europe.e.coli/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Randi]

Yes, it's horrible! I believe 17 people in Denmark has been infected, one died. There are lots more cases in North Germany. Let's hope they find what causes it.

Here's what Copenhagen Post say: http://www.cphpost.dk/news/technology/51728-danish-cukes-investigated-after-bacteria-link.html

One more link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2011-06/02/c_13908113.htm

[Barbara]

I agree it's scary. They do know finally that it is a new cross of already known bacteria but they have no idea where they came from originally. 10-100 of the beasts are enough for an infection - that's not much if you talk about bacteria. And antibiotics encourage them to produce more toxines....
Still- the probability is low that you get it but you have no idea how you could avoid it.

[Karen]

You will all be in our prayers. Cook all vegetable thoroughly in the meantime, okay?

[Freedom]

Just saw brief update on this on the TV news. The strain of e coli is unusual, striking many young people, and having neurological impact including difficulty speaking, and paralysis.

We keep using antibiotics, and bacteria keeps mutating and getting stronger. O rso it seems.

[lizbud]

Just saw brief update on this on the TV news. The strain of e coli is unusual, striking many young people, and having neurological impact including difficulty speaking, and paralysis.

We keep using antibiotics, and bacteria keeps mutating and getting stronger. O rso it seems.


It is very scary that so many are having much more serious reactions
to this new strain & they can't seem to find anything to fight the infection.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=13722361

[kittycats_delight]

Last count on this is over 2000 people throughout Europe have been affected with 18 deaths so far. They are saying this is a brand new strand they have NEVER seen before. Also so for it is immune to all forms of antibiotics tested on it. They thought the strain came from cucumbers from Spain but that has been disproven and they now have no idea where it came from. All fruits & veggies are to be throughly cleaned with sodium bicarbonate and if possible none should be eaten raw. They are also saying to be careful with meats of all kinds as well. Meats are also to be well cleaned and cooked thoroughly. It seems cheese & fish are safe but they are not 100% so they are saying to be careful and clean & cook everything well until they can find the source and get this under control.

[Randi]

I would have thought they had found the particular food that causes this, by now, but I can't find anything that verifies what it is. I wonder if anyone have made a list of the food the people who died or have been affected, ate - and where it was bought. That should narrow it down a bit. I think we are many who would like to see such a list!

Another link with info: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1393545/E-coli-outbreak-3-Americans-struck-contagious-mutant-strain-kills-18-Europe.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[Barbara]

It is about a week after the contact with the bacteria that you get it. Of course it would be very difficult to find for thousands of people where it comes from. So they really have no idea. Northern germany seems to be at the center. (I'm in Southern Germany). The bacteria is a very new cross between two others.

[Kirsten]

Yes, I think the entire thing is so scary! It's a very aggressive strain of enterohemorrhagic e.coli (EHEC), and obviously a mutated form which makes it so difficult to treat. Thousands are ill by now, and more than 500 in Germany have developed this so-called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which makes people's kidneys fail and affects the blood cells. So far, 18 people in Germany have died, most of them women (no one knows why). And I heard that all the ill people from other countries have been in Germany before, so the epicenter of the outbreak is definitely here (in the North of Germany, but there are also ill people in other parts).

And obviously it's not the cucumbers from Spain as they first suspected. But it's still said that most of the ill people ate tomatoes, cucumbers and green salad, which is why the health organisations and the government still recommend not to eat these vegetables, especially not raw. It's kind of scary not to know which food is still safe.

As this is a new, mutated strain (obviously a clone of two EHEC strains), some suspect that it may be a terrorist attack but this has not been confirmed. The entire thing is so mysterious, and it's scary.

And it kind of ruins many farmers. No one here's buing salad or cucumbers these days!

Here's some more info:
E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Aggressive New Strain (http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,766312,00.html)

[Kirsten]

Don't want to get my hopes up too soon, but there are some breaking news right now that they have most likely found the source! All of the greater outbreaks could be linked to one company in Lower Saxony, Germany, that produces (bean?) sprouts. There's going to be a press conference at 6 pm, which is in 45 minutes. I really really hope that they can confirm this, so the rest of all our food is safe.

Recent death toll in Germany: 21 :(

[lizbud]

Don't want to get my hopes up too soon, but there are some breaking news right now that they have most likely found the source! All of the greater outbreaks could be linked to one company in Lower Saxony, Germany, that produces (bean?) sprouts. There's going to be a press conference at 6 pm, which is in 45 minutes. I really really hope that they can confirm this, so the rest of all our food is safe.

Recent death toll in Germany: 21 :(


Did you earn anything new from the press conference?

I found a very interesting article on BBC about E Coli. Did you know they
can use it to cure diseases? It sounds like it can be part machine and part
living organism. Sounds like the stuff of science fiction.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13639241

[Kirsten]

Did you earn anything new from the press conference?

I found a very interesting article on BBC about E Coli. Did you know they
can use it to cure diseases? It sounds like it can be part machine and part
living organism. Sounds like the stuff of science fiction.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13639241

No, I didn't know that, it's interesting. But as far as I know, there are many different strains of e.coli, maybe some are not as bad as others...

Re. the press conference: It sounds very likely to me that it could have been these sprouts (from an organic farm in Northern Germany). It's not confirmend yet (they're waiting for some test results which they're expecting to have later today), but it sounded like this farm could indeed be the source. I feel bad for those who run the farm, a group of vegetarians who wanted to produce healthy food, and now they're probably the cause of this nightmare. Most likely, you cannot even blame them because the bacteria might have already come with the seeds from which the sprouts were made.

Test results expected in E. coli probe; German sprouts suspected (http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/06/europe.e.coli/)

[cassiesmom]

Right before Christmas there were 50 or 75 cases of Salmonella food poisoning in the Midwest, that were thought to be related to alfalfa sprouts used by Jimmy John's sandwich shops. I wonder why sprouts are so prone to food-borne illnesses.

[Kirsten]

I wonder why sprouts are so prone to food-borne illnesses.

1. Because they are grown in drums in a humid, warm environment which is also ideal for all kinds of germs

2. Because the germs are not only on the surface, but also inside the seeds.

[Kirsten]

Okay, it has reached my hometown, two men are in hospital, and EHEC has been confirmed. Wonder where they picked it up...

While the sprouts from that particular organic farm are still considered to be the culprit, e.coli (the mutated strain we're dealing with) has also been found in a trash bin where a family has disposed the rests of their cucumbers. The entire family has become sick, btw. So, the original suspect, cucumbers, are back in the race. Obviously there are several sources, which I think is really scary. Wonder if our food will ever be safe again.

By now, I'm really beginning to miss eating salad, or anything fresh. All our vegetables need to be cooked, otherwise the risk is too high. Even strawberries are a potential danger. It's so frustrating!

[Randi]

Gosh, do be careful, Kirsten!

They must know which vegetables are safe to eat now. Haven't they made lists of what people who was affected have eaten? It's a big job doing that, but what else can they do to find out.

Yesterday, they said that the organic farm was in the clear. I do hope so!

[Kirsten]

Gosh, do be careful, Kirsten!

They must know which vegetables are safe to eat now. Haven't they made lists of what people who was affected have eaten? It's a big job doing that, but what else can they do to find out.

Yesterday, they said that the organic farm was in the clear. I do hope so!

Yup, sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes, and green salad. We've been recommended not to eat any of these raw, and as for other vegetables and fruit, to wash them carefully, especially when eaten raw. To be on the safe side, I'm eating nothing raw at all, but it's getting frustrating, I'm really craving for something fresh by now.

[Kirsten]

Looks like they found the source now. Obviously it's been more or less confirmed now that it were the sprouts.

But now, they're also discussing the possibility of an infection from human to human. This is what most likely happened in an outbreak in my area. Scary! :eek:

[lizbud]

Looks like they found the source now. Obviously it's been more or less confirmed now that it were the sprouts.




Yes, that's what they are reporting in USA news now too. I never did
think that sprouts added much to any salad anyway, so I'd gladly do without
them.:)

I'm glad they finally got this mystery solved.