A rare strain of the bacteria is to blame for the current E. coli outbreak in Germany and Europe. The World Health Organization is reporting that the strain has never been found to cause illness in humans before.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States are investigating four illnesses that may be a part of this outbreak. All are in patients with a recent history of travel to Germany. Military authorities in Germany are awaiting test results on two service members that may have been infected, as well. The strain involved in the European E. coli outbreak has not been seen in the United States before.
New York State tracks E. coli infection cases. In the period 2000 to 2009, the state averaged 226 cases of E. coli infection yearly. The CDC estimates around 240,000 cases yearly throughout the United States. They list thirteen multi state outbreaks / food recalls in the period 2006 to 2011 related to E. coli.
The Escherichia coli bacteria lives in the intestinal tracts of a number of animals and also in people. Most strains cause no problem at all but a few may profuce illness if a person becomes infected by them. The germs are passed through contact with feces, typically contaminated food. If raw vegetables are not washed properly, or meat butchered and handled properly, E. coli infections may result.
Most illness due to E. coli lasts about ten days or so. The main symptom is diarrhea, but the illness can also cause vomiting, cramps and fever. Certain strains of E. coli produce a toxin, Shiga toxin, which can result in far more serious symptoms including bloody diarrhea or kidney failure.
The WHO report for June 3 shows 1,834 cases related to this E. coli outbreak in Europe. 19 deaths are believed to be related. 30% of the cases have resulted in kidney failure, an unexpectedly high rate for an E. coli outbreak. The 1,700 plus German cases are disproportionately female and over age 20, also unexpected. The source for the illnesses has not yet been determined. An early statment blaming "killer cucumbers" from Spain proved false.
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