European E.Coli Outbreak One of the Largest Ever as Death Toll Rises to 10

It is thought contaminated organic cucumbers were imported from Spain, but further tests are being carried out. The vegetables have left hundreds ill with Hemolytic-uremic Syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney problems.

5/30/2011 --- With 10 people dead of infection and more than 400 cases reported, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said Sunday a bacterial outbreak in northern Germany was one of the largest of its kind ever reported worldwide.

Spanish vegetables suspected of contamination are being recalled from stores in Austria and the Czech Republic to prevent the spread.

It is thought contaminated organic cucumbers were imported from Spain, but further tests are being carried out. The vegetables have left hundreds ill with Hemolytic-uremic Syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney problems.

Cases have also been recorded in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK.

On Sunday, authorities in the Czech Republic and Austria took some Spanish-grown cucumbers off store shelves amid contamination fears. Czech officials said affected cucumbers may also have been exported to Hungary and Luxembourg.

The suspicion has fallen on organic cucumbers from Spain imported by Germany but then re-exported to other European countries, or exported directly by Spain.

Two Spanish greenhouses identified as sources for the outbreak have been closed and are currently under investigation to see whether the outbreak originated there or elsewhere, said an EU spokesman.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said it is closely monitoring the recent outbreak of E.coli in Germany. The specific strains involved are called Shiga toxin-producing E.coli and are known to cause amongst other symptoms Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome in humans which is acquired as a foodborne illness and can cause serious health effects.

In order to respond as quickly as possible, EFSA is liaising with the European Commission, the European Union Reference Laboratory for VTEC, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as well as with all relevant Member States through its Advisory Forum network and has put internal procedures in place, should an urgent request for advice be required.

In collaboration with ECDC and the Member States, EFSA collects data on foodborne outbreaks across Europe on an annual basis. In such circumstances, these data serve as valuable historical records on the frequency of similar events.

Last Friday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said it had conducted a rapid risk assessment following the unusual increase of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections in Germany, with patients presenting with haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and bloody diarrhoea. To date, this STEC outbreak is significant with a very atypical age and sex distribution of the cases and the exposure being limited only to Germany, the ECDC reported.