June 9 (Reuters) - The outbreak of a new strain of E.coli in northern Germany has crippled vegetable exports and scientists seem to be no nearer to proving whether the outbreak originated in organic bean sprouts.
Here are some details about the outbreak:
* WHAT IS E.COLI?
-- Escherichia coli (E.coli) is a group of bacteria that live in the intestines of many animals and humans. Most strains are harmless, but others can cause illness ranging from diarrhoea to pneumonia. E.coli infections can be mild to life-threatening.
-- The strain that is making people ill in Germany and other parts of Europe, is known as 0104:H4, and part of a class of bacteria known as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or STEC.
-- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the strain identified in the German cases is a rare one, seen in humans before, but never in this kind of outbreak. Symptoms of STEC infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea (often bloody) and vomiting. Low fever (less than 101 degrees F/38.5 degrees C) also may be present. Most people recover within five to seven days.
* COMPLICATIONS/TREATMENTS
-- When an infection, usually E.coli, in the digestive system produces toxic substances that get into the blood stream, this can cause haemolytic uraemic syndrome, or HUS, a life-threatening complication of E.coli infections.
-- The syndrome results in the destruction of red blood cells and severe kidney problems and usually arises about a week after diarrhoea starts.
-- Experts say supportive therapy, including hydration, is important. Treatment for HUS includes dialysis for kidney failure and blood transfusions for anaemia.
* BEAN SPROUTS:
-- Bean sprouts have been associated with previous health scares. In 2010 they were linked to an outbreak of salmonella in Britain.
-- In the United States since 1996, there have been at least 30 reported outbreaks of food-carried illness associated with different types of raw and lightly cooked sprouts. Most of these outbreaks were caused by salmonella and E.coli.
-- Bean sprouts are the tender edible shoots of germinated beans. Mung bean sprouts originate in Asia, where they have been made and used for thousands of years.
* SPREAD:
-- Cases have now been notified from 14 countries in addition to Germany. These are typically people who have recently visited northern Germany or, in one case, had contact with a visitor from northern Germany who was an E.coli case.
* TOLLS**:
* HUS
COUNTRY CASES FATALITIES
AUSTRIA 1 -
DENMARK 8 -
GERMANY 722 19
NETHERLANDS 4 -
POLAND 2 -
SPAIN 1 -
SWEDEN 16 1
UNITED KINGDOM 3 -
UNITED STATES 3 -
* E.COLI
COUNTRY CASES FATALITIES
AUSTRIA 3 -
CANADA 1 -
CZECH REPUBLIC 1 -
DENMARK 12 -
FRANCE 2 -
GERMANY 2,086 9
GREECE 1 -
LUXEMBOURG 1 -
NETHERLANDS 2 -
NORWAY 1 -
SPAIN 1 -
SWEDEN 30 -
SWITZERLAND 3 -
UNITED KINGDOM 2 -
UNITED STATES 1 -
Sources: Reuters/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/WHO/Robert Koch Institute/www.hpa.org/States News Service.
NOTES: E.coli and HUS have exclusive notification categories, so case numbers should not overlap. The figures in any rapidly evolving outbreak are provisional.
** Updated as of June 8. (Writing by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
