Yikes! European Super E. Coli!

[3113]

This is really scary!

Scientists on Thursday blamed Europe's worst recorded food-poisoning outbreak on a "super-toxic" strain of E. coli bacteria that may be brand new.

But while suspicion has fallen on raw tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce as the source of the germ, researchers have been unable to pinpoint the food responsible for the frightening illness, which has killed at least 18 people, sickened more than 1,600 and spread to least 10 European countries. An alarmingly large number of victims — about 500 — have developed kidney complications that can be deadly.

Chinese and German scientists analyzed the DNA of the E. coli bacteria and determined that the outbreak was caused by "an entirely new, super-toxic" strain that contains several antibiotic-resistant genes, according to a statement from the Shenzhen, China-based laboratory BGI. It said the strain appeared to be a combination of two types of E. coli.

Um...European AHers please check in in-between trips to the toilet and let us know that you're still alive. And please stay away from salads.

In the meantime...I'm gonna start my own organic garden, thank you very much.

 

[Kitty_Schrödinger]

In the mean time wash & peel your fruit and veg, wash your hands and keep kitchen tops and utensils clean and germ free.
Mild Milton solution should do the trick too.

 

[xssve]

So no more ATM?

 

[oggbashan]

All the cases so far have originated in, or have recently visited, North Germany including all the cases reported in the UK.

While reasonable hygiene precautions are recommended for fresh vegetables, at present no one knows the exact source of this outbreak, which may have nothing to do with vegetables.

The financial damage to the European vegetable growers, and particularly the Spanish salad growers, is massive.

 

[Handley_Page]

Gosh, what fun. A whole new strain of E Coli.
This EU member is OK thanks..
I'm glad I don't eat salad. . .

 

[3113]

Gosh, what fun. A whole new strain of E Coli.
This EU member is OK thanks..
I'm glad I don't eat salad. . .

And stay away from the cucumber sandwiches!

 

[TE999]

I read an article that said a possible cause was the usage of 'treated' sewage as fertilizer...it was sprayed rather than spread for some reason. I haven't seen a follow-up though.

 

[R. Richard]

Guy walks into a bar. He's wearing a mask. He forces the bartender to empty the cash register. Then he flees.
The scumbags are called. They ask, "He had a gun?"
"Worse than a gun. He had a cucumber!"

 

[stephen55]

This is really scary!

This kind of problem really is very scary.

The outbreak of enteropathic E. coli O157:H7 in Canada (Walkerton, Ontario, 2000) took everyone by surprise. In a town of about 5000 people, on one day about half became ill. Seven died directly due to the illness and many suffered permanent injury, mostly from long term kidney failure. Things like that weren't supposed to happen in Canada.

The problem was traced to agricultural water runoff that got into the town's water supply. A well was located close to the farms and was known to be vulnerable to contamination. Both the manager and the water foreman of the local Public Utility Commission had no formal education to qualify them for their positions and had advanced merely by three decades of working for the Utility.

To put it plainly, they fucked up. When the outbreak occurred, they both insisted that the water was safe to drink. An investigation later showed falsified reports and evidence of drinking (booze) on the job.

 

[JackLuis]

Bean sprouts likely source of E. coli crisis
German authorities say enough evidence points towards locally-grown vegetables as source of deadly bacteria.

http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2011/6/7/20116771321260734_20.jpg

Is somebody after the Vegans?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And they were organically grown sprouts, the most healthful kind don'tcherknow?

 

[stephen55]

And they were organically grown sprouts, the most healthful kind don'tcherknow?

Organic produce!! Damned stuff doesn't have near enough preservatives and likely isn't even tested on animals!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Of course, I have to wonder about the 'organicity' of bean sprouts. I mean, you take the seeds, soak and drain them four times a day and in three or four days you have sprouts. How organic is that?

 

[Handley_Page]

But did you wash your paws first ?