WHO on Germany's E. Coli Outbreak
WHO provides the who...what, where, when, and why (but not the how) on the deadly outbreak of enterohemorrhagic E. coli.Who: As of yesterday afternoon, 2648 cases of illness (689 with hemolytic uremic syndrome [HUS], including 18 fatalities) among German residents (mostly adults and, to a lesser extent, women).
What: A rare serotype of enteroaggregative, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104:H4.*
When: From May 1st to the present.
Why**: Infection with the bacterium produces bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and the potentially fatal HUS; "enteroaggregative" means that the microorganism is particularly good at adhering to the cells of the intestinal wall.
How: Dunno yet, although the source of the bacterium is most likely food; contaminated bean sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes, or cucumbers are the likely culprits, says WHO.
WHO = World Health Organization.
* Or more precisely, according to WHO, a "strain of enteroaggregative verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (EAggEC VTEC) O104:H4."
** So virulent, deadly, etc?
06/10/11 update: According to the NYT, German authorities are fingering sprouts, on the basis of the very high risk of infection among people who ate them (and not on any positive bacterial samples from the produce). As of this morning, WHO hasn't publicly confirmed the conclusion.
