EHEC causes the pathogen on the trail

First findings on the causes of EHEC infections

25/05/2011

The health authorities are currently searching feverishly for the causes of the current EHEC infection wave. While raw milk products and raw meat could almost be excluded as a source of infection, the search is currently focusing on a possible transmission of dangerous intestinal bacteria by raw food - plant-based foods that are not heated during preparation.

The fact that food contaminated with feces from ruminants could be the cause of EHEC infections was already suspected immediately after the first cases became known. Although the Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Ilse Aigner (CSU) told the „ARD“ warns against premature conclusions and hasty blaming in the direction of farmers, the idea suggests that the application of manure on the fields, the food was contaminated with EHEC-contaminated fecal matter.

EHEC infections due to raw food
The health authorities currently assume that the EHEC infection due to transmission of the pathogens by raw food - but the experts could prove this thesis so far not. Also, no information was given on how the pathogens could have got on the food and how they were distributed. Since ruminants are the main reservoir of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and contamination of foods with fecal matter of animals is relatively often the source of infection, the public is already speculating about manure fertilization as a possible cause. The Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Ilse Aigner (CSU) vigorously opposed such assumptions and warned against over-hasty finger-pointing. „We can not say right now (...) where the source is“, said the CSU politician in conversation with the „ARD“. The medical director of the large laboratory Medilys of the Asklepios Clinics in Hamburg, Susanne Huggett, said this morning in the ARD Morgenmagazin that it looks like it at the moment, „as if salad bars, so prepared salad parts play a role“. But Huggett could not say anything more accurate yet. Overall, the transmission of pathogens by raw food among the experts is extremely likely, which inevitably raises the question of the causes of contamination of raw food.

EHEC infection source probably in northern Germany
Since the EHEC infections have occurred in several federal states, but the focus is in northern Germany, the health authorities suspect that the EHEC-burdened raw food from a supraregional provider from northern Germany was spread. However, the authorities have not been able to provide any details so far. However, there is hope that the management consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) involuntarily contributes to the elucidation of the cause of the infection. Because like that „mirror“ According to reports, all 19 patients who had previously had Frankfurt patients in the canteen were fed by PwC. In a statement to the staff of PwC, the Frankfurt health authority writes that to prevent disease „a temporary closure of the canteen“ and is recommended, „not to use the water dispensers“. At present, samples of processed foods and drinks are being examined in the lab hoping to find an indication of the source of infection. In addition, the authorities evaluate the canteen delivery notes, as a contaminated food delivery is suspected to be the cause of EHEC infections. „We assume that the source of infection is in northern Germany“, explained a spokesman for the health department to the radio station „FFH“.

Manure fertilization as a possible cause of EHEC infections
Given the uncertainty that currently exists with regard to the causes of EHEC infections, the experts are so far with reservations about possible suspicion, but again and again, the improper fertilization with manure is mentioned as a possible source of infection. In Germany, the so-called fertilizer regulation makes strict specifications for the use of liquid manure, but its use is by no means prohibited. And so it is quite conceivable that the dangerous EHEC bacteria came with the manure on the fields and from there with the raw food in the kitchen. Above all, manure obtained from urine and manure in cattle breeding is suspected here. Pig manure, however, is considered to be non-hazardous with respect to EHEC infections because pigs are not ruminants and normally do not transmit EHEC bacteria. If the suspicion is confirmed that the EHEC infections were caused by the use of liquid manure, the damage to the image of agriculture would be considerable. Therefore, the Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection is already trying hard to smooth the waves. It remains to be hoped that the search for the causes of the current EHEC infection wave will sooner or later lead to a result that clearly sets out the route of infection - also to remedy the currently noticeable, massive uncertainty among consumers. (Fp)

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Picture: wrw