Also in the future, EHEC infections can be expected

The EHEC pathogen remains dangerous

01/05/2012

Since the end of the EHEC epidemic, the pathogens have almost been forgotten by the public. But the EHEC pathogens remain dangerous, as the death of a student in Hamburg in mid-February clarified. Despite the continuing risk of the EHEC pathogen, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) sees no reason for repeated warnings, as the case numbers are within normal limits. RKI President Reinhard Burger said in an interview with the news agency „DAPD“, that „a certain EHEC activity, ie a certain number of EHEC infections in Germany normal“ be. As an order of magnitude called Burger „a thousand infections a year“, in which „60 to 70 of these infections are severe“ run.

EHEC pathogens cause about 1,000 infections every year
The EHEC epidemic claimed 50 lives last year. Over 4,000 people became infected with the new, particularly aggressive EHEC pathogen of strain 0104: H4, and around 800 people suffered from the so-called hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe infection. After the source of the pathogens could be identified, the case numbers declined steadily. But the new bacterial strain is by no means simply gone, but nestles in our environment, so that in future more infections can be expected. However, the new pathogen strain was not responsible for the death of the Hamburg schoolgirl. The origin of the infection remained with the girl, however, even after weeks of research unexplained. After completion of the time-consuming diagnostics, the pathogens on the potential sources of infection or in the food circulation are often no longer detectable, so that the search for the origin of the bacteria, in particular for a single infection is similar to the search for a needle in a haystack.

Prevention as protection against EHEC infections
EHEC infections are reported annually, according to the RKI president. However, these are usually not fatal with symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome are more of an exception. However, in the EHEC epidemic last year, many people suffered from a serious illness. In the case of such epidemics, prevention can save lives, said the RKI president. „One can do much by organizing at the level of large-scale food production. That make the company of self-interest, but the spontaneous infections in the country by insufficient cleanliness in the kitchen, etc., that will never be completely avoided “, said Burger in an interview with the „DAPD“.

Warning about cucumbers, tomatoes and salad was adequate
The President of the RKI also defended the actions of the health authorities in the wake of the EHEC crisis. The warning after the first deaths of eating cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce was „with the knowledge of what we had at that time, appropriate“, explained Reinhard Burger. Although at the end of June the sprouts were identified as transmitters by an organic farm in northern Germany, at first there was some evidence that raw cucumbers, tomatoes or lettuce could be the source of infection. Overall, the RKI president was quite satisfied with the crisis management. „Of course, it can always be optimized, but in retrospect, I see no major shortcomings in crisis management“, stressed Burger. (Fp)

Read about EHEC:
Symptoms of EHEC infection
No antibiotic in EHEC

Picture: Gerd Altmann