New and deadly E-coli strain causes epidemic in 12 countries, spreading kidney failure, serious neurological symptoms, and death
June 4, 2011 at 2:53 pm By Roz PotterSources:
World Health Organization update #6 Link
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy from the Univ of Minnesota: Link
June 2011 update from Eurosurveillance: Link
From H5N1 blog: a translation of an article from the German Ärzte Zeitung: EHEC: Early neurological therapy recommended, Link
Excerpts:
The count of cases (some severely ill with renal failure and serious neurological symptoms) and deaths in Europe’s Escherichia coli outbreak pushes higher daily, with official case counts of around 1700, with many others likely uncounted. The epidemic has been traced to Hamburg, Germany but the exact source remains unknown. Many who are infected attended a 2 day Festival in Hamburg.
A WHO expert, Donato Greco, told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica: “The virus is found in intestines of cattle and therefore usually in raw meat such as tartar or poorly cooked hamburgers.” He said he had never yet seen such dangerous intestinal bacteria on fruits and vegetables.
There are two types of infection, one,with fewer victims involves hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or potentially fatal kidney failure. A number of victims are on dialysis.
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The German Society of Neurology (DGN) has reported that about half of patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) may also suffer from severe and sometimes irreversible neurological disorders.
Two Hamburg neurologists, Professor Joachim Roether and Professor Christian Gerloff, say that is is alarming that the neurological condition in spite of early plasmapheresis does not improve or even deteriorates.
Gerloff is director of neurology at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Roether is Chief of Neurology at the Asklepios Clinic Altona.
Espeically striking is the early appearance of neurological symptoms, says Gerloff. “It can develop simultaneously with renal and gastroenterological symptoms.”
Crucial features of HUS are bloody diarrhea, hemolysis, and renal dysfunction. In the neurological symptom complex in HUS, the first are confusion, reduced vigilance, irritability and delirium. There are also many cases of aphasia and apraxia, and disturbances of the brain stem functions. In severe cases, patients develop myoclonic seizures and sometimes that can lead to coma.
Of Note