EHEC pathogen in the Erlenbach

EHEC pathogen in the Frankfurt Erlenbach

20.06.2011

Frankfurt. According to the EHEC expert Professor Dr. Helge Karch from the Institute of Hygiene of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, the EHEC find in Erlenbach in Frankfurt is an indication that the dangerous germs are currently increasingly being excreted by humans and then settling in our environment. Although the number of new EHEC infections has been falling significantly for days, the dangerous pathogen remains in the environment. „Therefore, we must now also develop strategies for how we can eliminate it permanently“, Helge Karch explained.

In total, 3,494 EHEC infections and 39 EHEC-related deaths in Germany have been reported to the Robert Koch Institute since the outbreak of the EHEC epidemic. As a clear source of infection, the competent authorities have identified an organic farm in the district of Uelzen. But now the dangerous germs also seem to spread in the general environment, as the EHEC find in the Frankfurt Erlenbach suggests. Although there are no clear confirmations from the laboratory, experts assume that the new EHEC pathogens of the HUESC 041 strain of the O104: H4 serotype are currently massively distributed in the environment due to human excretions.

EHEC pathogens are spreading in the environment
According to the Münster-based EHEC expert Helge Karch, the new, particularly aggressive EHEC pathogens are particularly resistant and can thus survive even after unfavorable conditions over a relatively long period after elimination. This significantly increases the distribution risk. The fact that the pathogens were now evidently detected in Erlenbach, could therefore be an indication of the growing spread of dangerous pathogens, the experts suspect. According to the Münster-based EHEC expert Helge Karch, divorce is currently taking place „many people are the pathogen“, so that could not be excluded, „that he has already established himself in our environment“. Since the sample of the Erlenbach was taken near a sewage treatment plant, the water could have been contaminated by the human excreta. By sewage treatment plants, the wastewater is generally not cleaned to a hygienic safe condition, but the outflows contain an increased level of germs, which is why the competent authorities in Hesse advise against bathing in running waters, said a spokeswoman for the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs. Also the spokesman of the Federal Environment Agency, Stephan Gabriel Haufe, explained on Monday in Dessau, that such a germ load „for water immediately after the sewage treatment plant nothing unusual“ be.

EHEC contamination of drinking water excluded?
However, potential contamination of drinking water by the new, particularly dangerous EHEC pathogens was ruled out by the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs and the Hessian Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. In a joint press release, the spokeswoman of the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs said that no „Connection of the stream to the public drinking water supply exists“ and therefore „no risk of contamination of the drinking water“ vorliege. In Erlenbach, Frankfurt, germs have occasionally been detected in earlier samples - including enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). The results of the new samples taken on Friday are expected in the coming days. Since it can be assumed that the pathogens are becoming more widespread in the environment, the Hesse Ministry of Social Affairs has once again made urgent reference to compliance with certain hygiene standards. For example, care should be taken when handling EHEC-infected people on the hygiene, because those affected can transmit the dangerous pathogens even after a long time after the disappearance of the EHEC symptoms, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs. According to the Münster EHEC Pope Helge Karch, however, it can be assumed that the new EHEC pathogen is already spreading more and more into the environment anyway, so that now strategies have to be developed as well, „how we can eliminate it permanently.“ (Fp)

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Image: Manfredo