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More than 20 E. coli infections are being investigated in a German community.
Four day-care centers in the Lützow-Lübstorf district are affected by the E. coli O26 outbreak. Lützow-Lübstorf is located in Northwest Mecklenburg, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany.
Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are often referred to as shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
Authorities initially reported 18 patients, but by the end of last week there were 25. They warned that more tests are ongoing so more cases are expected. The sick include children and their relatives as well as some employees of the day care center.
The majority of people have mild or no symptoms, but some cases of severe diarrhea also occur. Currently there have been no hospital admissions and no patient has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
The testing of products and in the premises of a food processing company that supplies the day-care centers was negative. Officials believe that the pathogen did not get into the centers through company-prepared food, but through other means that are being investigated.
Symptoms of E. coli infection differ in each person, but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
About 5 to 10 percent of patients diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, extreme tiredness, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruising or bleeding, and paleness.
Update on hepatitis A infections
The number of people infected with hepatitis A in another German community has now risen to 28.
Investigations by the authorities are taking place against the employees of a bakery branch in the region. Some patients are unrelated to the bakery, so hepatitis A strains are genotyped and the results are pending.
The investigations into the outbreak in Dummerstorf in the Rostock district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are ongoing. The youngest patient became symptomatic on November 18.
There are 25 sick people and three cases of hepatitis A in connection with the outbreak in neighboring areas in the Rostock district. Those affected include children and adults, and at least four people had to be hospitalized.
During the incubation period, more than 200 potential contacts were identified and some vaccinations were given to allow the body to develop antibodies and prevent the infection from spreading.
Hepatitis A is spread when someone ingests the virus through close contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or drink. The incubation period is usually 14 to 28 days, but it can take up to 50 days for symptoms to develop. Symptoms can last up to two months and include tiredness, nausea, abdominal pain, and jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or eyes.
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