EHEC infections First signs of slowing

EHEC infections: First signs of dimming in sight

03/06/2011

According to the German Society for Nephrology, the number of new EHEC infections indicates a slowdown in the EHEC infection wave. Although no reliable information on the future development of infections with the new particularly dangerous pathogen strain of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) has yet to be made, the first signs indicate, according to the president of the German Society for Nephrology, that the wave of infection is subsiding.

After the number of newly reported EHEC infections had reached alarming proportions in the meantime, the German Society of Nephrology (DGfN) now indicates that signs of relaxation are beginning to appear. „It feels a bit like it's going down, but the numbers are not clear yet“, explained Dr. Reinhard Brunkhorst, DGfN President in Hamburg.

EHEC: Experts hope for further decline in infections
The expert did not want to give the all-clear, because the number of new infections had already declined slightly in the course of the EHEC infection wave, but then massively increased again. Dr. Brunkhorst hopes that this time the signs of a slowdown in EHEC infections will be confirmed in the coming days. However, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), over the past two days, 199 people in Germany have still been infected with the dangerous EHEC pathogen. According to the RKI, a total of 1,733 EHEC infections have occurred in the course of the current crisis, 17 patients in Germany and one woman in Sweden have died as a result of EHEC infection. According to the experts, the new pathogen strain is extremely aggressive and relatively often triggers the particularly severe symptoms of EHEC infection. These include, above all, the life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), in which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 470 people throughout Germany are already suffering from the current EHEC infection wave.

Cessation of EHEC infections no reason to be all-clear
However, the slowdown in EHEC infections observed by the German Society of Nephrology is not misinterpreted as a victory over the dangerous bacteria. These are still present and could cause a renewed wave of infection at any time under given circumstances. As long as it is not clear how the dangerous bacteria have led to the increased incidence of EHEC infections and as long as no suitable healing method has been developed and tested, the particularly aggressive EHEC pathogens of the HUSEC strain 41 are not allowed underestimating health threat. The health authorities therefore continue to warn against the consumption of raw vegetables from tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers or vegetables. In addition, WHO recommends compliance with the „normal hygiene measures“, like regular hand washing, especially after going to the toilet and in contact with food. Explicitly WHO warned of the health consequences of an EHEC infection and warned: „Anyone who gets bloody diarrhea and severe abdominal pain and has lately been in Northern Germany should seek urgent medical advice.“ (Fp)

Also read:
EHEC: DRK calls for blood donations
WHO: New EHEC pathogen triggers infections

Image: Michael Bührke