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Europe’s new E Coli scare

David A Gabel A new E. Coli outbreak has struck Europe. It started with a few deaths in Germany from what were thought to be Spanish cucumbers. Then more people in Germany and around the continent got infected. Trade tensions mounted and vegetable producers from various other countries became affected by the new outbreak. Now there have been cases reported in the United States, and Russia has banned the importing of fresh vegetables from the European Union. Vegetable producers around the continent are suffering from a worried public not buying their goods. The issue is a new strain of the E.Coli bacteria, rare but highly infectious. It sticks to the intestines where it causes diarrhea and vomiting. It can even cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which attacks the kidneys, possibly causing coma, seizure, or stroke. Germany now has 470 cases of HUS which is ten times greater than the previous largest outbreak. The main difference between this strain and other less toxic strains is the special "glue" which it uses to stick to the body. In total, Germany has 1,500 people affected with the new E. Coli and at least four people have died. The majority of infections have hit middle to old age women. Most of the cases found outside the country are from German's travelling abroad or foreigners who have recently been to Germany. For example, there are 30 cases in Sweden, 11 in Denmark, three in the UK, one in the Netherlands, and one in Austria. Three victims have even been identified in the United States, thousands of miles away. The source of the outbreak was believed to be fresh cucumbers from Almeria and Malaga, Spain back on May 26. However, German scientists later confirmed that the Spanish cucumbers were not the source. Testing is continuing to identify where this vicious bug is coming from. Farmers from Spain as well as other areas of Europe are demanding compensation for their lost business since this crisis began. According to Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, deputy prime minister of Spain, "We do not rule out taking action against authorities which have cast doubt on the quality of our produce, so action may be taken against the authorities, in this case Hamburg." Russia promptly banned all vegetable imports from Europe amid cries of protest from European governments and the European Commission. They had already banned imports from Germany and Spain since the outbreak began when they thought it was from Spanish cucumbers in Germany. Now that the source is still unknown, Russia is not taking any chances. Shops across the country are preparing to dump their EU vegetables. Poland, a major vegetable and fruit exporter, and the Netherlands, a major salad exporter, describe the ban as a major blow. "After the collapse of the German consumer market, sales to Russia are now also impossible," the Dutch junior minister for economic affairs, agriculture and innovation Henk Bleker said. According to Poland's government, Moscow's move was "excessive compared to the danger." Meanwhile, Germany is suffering from one of its worst bacterial outbreaks ever. Some German citizens are concerned the disease may spread by human contact as well as ingestion. For example, at a high-profile church event in Dresden with over 120,000 people, there were no raw vegetables served. However, others are more hopeful, believing this whole thing will blow over and be forgotten. Only time will tell. The Ccentre for Diseases Control and Prevension, UN Government is monitoring a large outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 (STEC O104:H4) infections ongoing in Germany. The responsible strain shares virulence characteristics with enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). As of June 2 case counts confirmed by Germany's Robert Koch Institute* include 520 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) - a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli or STEC infections - and 11 deaths. In the United States, four suspected cases of STEC O104:H4 infections have been identified in persons who recently traveled to Hamburg, Germany, where they were likely exposed. One case of HUS has been reported in each of three states: Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Additionally, one case of Shiga toxin-positive diarrheal illness is still under investigation. All four cases are pending laboratory confirmation. CDC is working with state health departments to learn more about these suspected cases and obtain bacterial isolates from them for further characterization. In addition, CDC has alerted state health departments of the ongoing outbreak and requested information about any persons with either HUS or Shiga toxin-positive diarrheal illness, with illness onset during or after travel to Germany since April 1, 2011. At this time, a specific food has not been confirmed as the source of the infections. Travelers to Germany should be aware that the German public health authorities have recommended against eating raw lettuce, tomatoes or cucumbers, particularly in the northern states of Germany (Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig Holstein). United States public health authorities currently have no information that any of these foods have been shipped from Europe to the United States. The U.S. Department of Defense has been notified of this outbreak because of the presence of U.S. military bases in Germany; there are no known confirmed cases among U.S. military personnel or their dependents at this time. However, reports indicate two U.S. service members in Germany with diarrheal illness are considered suspect cases. For travel information related to this outbreak, please view the article on CDC Travelers' Health Website. The strain of STEC causing these illnesses, STEC O104:H4 is very rare, and CDC is not aware of any confirmed cases of STEC O104:H4 infection ever reported in the United States. Any person who has recently traveled to Germany and has signs or symptoms of STEC infection or HUS should see