Julian Price

E.coli Outbreak Germany Deadly New Strain:Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Salad, Fruit: What’s Safe?



Posted: Thursday, June 02, 2011

by Julian Price
http://www.uk-freelance-content-writer.co.uk/

German bean sprouts are once again being named as the source of the E.coli outbreak which has claimed the lives of 30 people in the country. Singled out as the source of the outbreak a few days ago, only to have had doubt cast upon them again, health ministers in Germany are now confident that the bean sprouts are indeed the source.

At the same time, the warnings on tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce have been lifted. Updated (June 10th 2011)

German beansprouts are the likely cause of the deadly outbreak of E.coli that has claimed 22 lives, health officials say. More than 2000 people have been taken ill across Europe since the outbreak began in May.

People are being warned not to touch the beansprout shoots which are frequently used as part of mixed salads. However, if the source is confirmed then hopes will be raised of bringing the problem under control. (updated 05.06.11)

An E.coli outbreak in Germany that has subsequently been sweeping through Europe is a new strain according to W.H.O (The World Health Organization.) This entirely new strain is thought to cause HUS (haemolytic-uraemic syndrome) which can cause serious and deadly complications that affect the kidneys and the blood.

This new E.coli strain is being described as a "Mutant" of two different forms of the bacteria and early suggestions are that it is much more virulent.

The exact source of the outbreak has still to be traced but across Europe more than 1500 people have fallen ill as a result of the virus. 17 of these cases have been fatal with 16 deaths in Germany and 1 in Sweden.

Cases have also been reported in the UK, Norway, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria and Spain.

Initially, the outbreak was thought to stem from what were termed, “killer cucumbers” from Spain, but this has since been refuted and the Spanish government are to seek compensation for damages because of these apparently false reports.

Although the Spanish cucumbers appear to have been ruled out, the HPA (Health Protection Agency) in the UK has advised anyone travelling to Germany to avoid eating raw tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and other leafy salad.

In the UK people are being advised to wash all fruit and vegetables before consumption in order to remove any germs that may be living on the outside of them.

Until the source is discovered and as the cases of E.coli continue to increase, it seems the panic and the uncertainty about what food is or isn’t safe will continue.

Two US Citizens are being tested for the virus after recent travel to Germany, whilst the death toll has risen to 18. As tests continue, more information emerges about this partiular strain of E.coli which is thought to glue itself to the intestines and is highly toxic to humans. The source is still unknown but the search appears to be focussing on raw cucumbers and tomatoes. (Updated 03.06.11)

In Germany, Doctors are urging people to give blood as the E.coli crisis continues, with more than 1800 global cases now reported, including 18 deaths. In the UK, the figure of infected has risen to 11, although all of them are thought to have links to recent travel in Germany. Updated (04.06.11)   
Julian has diplomas in freelance journalism (with distinction), copywriting and proofreading. He is also a creative writer and poet who writes both professionally and for pleasure. Julian has written articles for an internet marketing company and although this medium is often restricted by topic, his writing still maintains a unique and often humourous style, with many of his articles achieving good results on search engines. He has found the discipline involved with this kind of work to be a great writing exercise and believes it enhances and improves other areas of his writing. Julian is becoming an established freelance writer and many of his articles here at searchwarp are a showcase of the variety and quality of his work.

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