EHEC epidemic survived

No EHEC new infection for two weeks

21.07.2011

According to the health authorities, the EHEC epidemic in Germany seems to be over. The consumption warnings issued during the wave of infection were lifted. Sprouts and seedlings can be eaten again without worry. Only for the fenugreek seeds from Egypt as well as the sprouts derived therefrom the warnings of the authorities continue to apply. Since these are suspected as the source of the new particularly aggressive EHEC pathogens, they should continue to be consumed raw.

In a joint communication, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) have lifted the food warnings issued because of the EHEC epidemic. The last EHEC infection in Germany had been recorded on 7 July. Since then, no other persons in this country showed corresponding EHEC symptoms, reports the RKI. After more than two months of the EHEC infection wave, especially in northern Germany, the epidemic seems to be over, the authorities say. In total, according to the RKI, more than 4,300 people in Germany had been infected since May with an infection with the new, particularly dangerous EHEC pathogen H104: O4 and the resulting disease of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). 49 people died as a result of EHEC infection.

Warning for sprouts lifted
Although the last EHEC infection took place weeks ago and the epidemic could be considered as being over, the authorities did not give a general all-clear. Because even in the future it could come to isolated infection outbreaks, since the pathogens have taken root in our environment and already infected people can pass on the bacteria unknowingly to their fellow human beings. However, the fenugreek seeds from Egypt identified as allegedly causing EHEC infections, which were imported into the EU between 2009 and 2011, would have to be removed from the market and destroyed, so that they would no longer be in direct danger. In addition, the investigations in the individual federal states had shown that the EHEC pathogens can not be skipped by other importers, growers or middlemen to other sprouts. The fenugreek sprouts are also the only source of EHEC infections (apart from the subsequent transmission by humans), infection by other sprouts varieties is not known. Therefore, the consumption warnings for all other sprouts can be lifted, reported the BfR, RKI and BVL.

EHEC pathogens will continue to be a risk in the future
However, the new, particularly aggressive EHEC pathogens have not just disappeared. In the future, they could trigger similarly serious epidemics once the germs have reached food production and processing. This raises the question of improved control in the future, especially with regard to risk products such as raw-sprouted sprouts. Legal remedies may also be needed to institutionalize control of EHEC pathogens in the future. However, it would require appropriate regulations for the import of products, as the source of the germs - as the overcoming EHEC epidemic illustrates - can also be abroad. Overall, there remains a sense of insecurity among consumers following the EHEC wave of infection, not least because the crisis management functioned rather poorly after the first episodes of infection. Alternately, cucumbers, tomatoes or lettuce were cited as possible sources of infection before the sprouts were suspected. However, the faster the actual source of the infections is found, the lower the risk of spreading a potential EHEC epidemic. (Fp)

Read also about EHEC:
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Picture credits: Markus Wegner