Tag Archives: E.coli O55

30 sickened in over a year: New test to find source of UK E. coli O55

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The E. coli O55 mystery continues in Dorset, UK.

It first emerged in July 2014, when two children were hospitalized with acute kidney problems and has since caused outbreaks of infectious diarrhea.

e.coli.O55.issacTo date the O55 strain has affected 30 people, 10 of them children in areas including Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Blandford and Christchurch. It also affected two cats.

All 10 children and one adult were hospitalized after they developed the complication of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) which affects the kidneys.

Noeleen McFarland, from Public Health England, told BBC’s Inside Out South: “When it was confirmed we knew we had uncovered something unusual that hadn’t been seen in the UK before.”

Despite an investigation, tests and screening, the source of the strain, which produces a toxin that can lead to fatal kidney failure, has never been traced.

Public Health England said any previous cases of the O55 strain in the UK had been associated with travel.

Following the outbreak, officers were sent out to investigate and test play parks, swimming pools and restaurants visited by those infected seven days prior to them being ill.

“Everything we investigated, tested and sampled was all negative,” Mrs McFarland said.

e.coli.O55Isaac Mortlock, aged four, from Bournemouth, was hospitalized after contracting the strain.

Isaac’s mum Gabrielle Archer said: “His kidney function didn’t return to normal and we’ve been told he will need a transplant in the future.”

A new test is being developed to detect the O55 strain and it is hoped the test will be ready for use on animals in the new year.

The new test is being worked on by scientists at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), based in Surrey using microscopic magnetic beads which picks out the E. coli O55.

Mystery E.coli O55 outbreak in UK deepens as cat and owner affected

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Beginning Nov. 2014, a cluster of E. coli O55 cases was identified in Dorset followed by another cluster in May 2015: no common source was found.

Now, a new case of E. coli O55 has been identified, along with a case in a pet cat.

e.col.O55To date, 26 cases of E. O55 coli have been confirmed in the county, and it is now believed that pets might be carrying the disease.

Health protection consultant Noëleen McFarland said: “Public Health England would like to reassure the public that the investigation into this unusual strain is ongoing.

“What we now know is that cats and other pets could be spreading this bacteria but they are not the source.

“E.coli is a type of bacteria that is found in the guts of cattle and other ruminants, whilst cats and other pets can act as carriers passing this on to humans in their faeces.”

Both the person and cat affected were from the same household, but however the agency will not reveal the locations of cases, citing patient confidentiality.

No common source has yet been identified for the outbreak, which is only in Dorset.

UK pets tested in E. coli O55 investigation

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A number of pets linked with an E. coli outbreak in Dorset are being tested as experts work to identify the source.

dog.sweep.poopIt follows the discovery of the E. coli O55 strain in animal droppings outside a house of a family recently affected.

Public Health England (PHE) described this – the first non-human case – as “interesting.”

Two children were treated in hospital for serious kidney problems following E. coli O55 infections last month. They have since been allowed home.

It is not clear whether the fecal sample which tested positive came from a wild or domestic animal.

A cluster of cases of the bacterial illness in Dorset was investigated in November 2014, with another outbreak in May, but no common source was found.

UK toddler left in intensive care after E. coli O55 outbreak

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A toddler is recovering after he was left in intensive care for two weeks due to kidney failure after contracting E. coli O55 while staying with family in Dorset.

e.coli.O55An outbreak of E. coli 055 was reported in Dorset in Dec. 2014, with 10 people confirmed as suffering with the severe illness caused by the bacterium and at least 18 sickened. Public Health England (PHE) and local environmental health officials are investigating the outbreak in a bid to find the cause.

Now Neil Fincham-Dukes, 31, from Bath has instructed public health lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate why his son, Joseph, 3, and his daughter Poppy, 1, contracted E. coli and whether the illness is linked to the recent outbreak in Dorset.

  1. coli O55 is a rare strain of the bacteria which can have very serious consequences. Joseph’s symptoms began in early November 2014 and he suffered with diarrhea and sickness. He visited his doctor on two occasions, but unfortunately his condition worsened and he suffered a number of seizures and became disorientated.

He was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). He spent two weeks in intensive care and required daily dialysis for a number of weeks due to the severity of his symptoms. He is still receiving dialysis three times a week and his treating doctors have confirmed that he is likely to need a kidney transplant in the future because of the severity of the damage to his kidneys.

Possible further case of E coli O55 at UK children’s center

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Public health officials investigating an E coli outbreak in Dorset have informed parents of a possible further case involving a child at Blandford Children’s Centre.

blandford-childrens-centre.jpg-pwrt2The children’s center only recently reopened after several children that attended there fell ill with the V055 strain of E coli.

Tests on all nursery users and staff then revealed a further eight people who have not suffered any symptoms but who have been found to be carrying the bacteria.

The nursery was thoroughly cleaned and only children and staff that had tested negative for E coli were allowed to return.

However, Public Health England (PHE) said that a child who originally tested negative for E coli has now displayed symptoms of the infection and could be a possible further case.

18 now sick: E coli O55 outbreak in UK

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The number of E .coli victims across Dorset has now increased to 18, Public Health England (PHE) has confirmed.

e.coli.O55The seven additional cases have come to light following screening tests carried out on children and staff at the Blandford Children’s Centre.

They are described as “secondary” cases in that they have contracted E coli from another confirmed victim.

It is not known whether the seven new cases are adults or children but a PHE spokesperson said they had not all become unwell from the bug.

PHE also confirmed it has still not managed to find a link between the first victims, and investigations are still being carried out. 

UK nursery still closed after three youngsters suffer from E. coli O55

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A children’s center involved in an E coli investigation remains closed with no date set for its reopening.

e.coli.O55Blandford Children’s Centre in Black Lane was closed after three children who had visited it suffered from a rare strain of E coli.

A spokesperson for Dorset County Council confirmed that it was still closed and they had no information on when it might reopen.

The E coli outbreak has affected 11 people who are either all resident in Dorset or had visited the area since July. Blandford Children’s Centre was closed for three days in October after a child who attended it was diagnosed with the 055 E coli strain.

No evidence of a direct link between the nursery and the cases has been found but Dorset County Council opted to close the center voluntarily while they waited for the results of tests on staff and children.

Lawyers said the 10 people who had been infected since July had a right to expect answers from Public Health England (PHE).

UK E coli victims: Why didn’t Public Health England tell people about outbreak months ago?

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Victims of the E coli outbreak have criticised Public Health England for not doing more to publicise the risks of the bug.

A Bournemouth woman who contracted the disease, two mothers whose children were desperately ill and a grandfather of a girl currently seriously ill in hospital have all said PHE was wrong not to tell people about the outbreak.

e.coli.O55A total of 11 people – all Dorset residents or people who have visited the county – have contracted E coli since July, with the latest case being last week.

PHE stressed it had thoroughly investigated each and every case but had not been able to find any common source between the cases in July and August.

It said it had not told any of the victims their cases were closed but that activity would have slowed because of the lack of any common factor between cases.

But victims and relatives are still unhappy with the way the PHE has handled the issue.

The grandfather of a three-year-old Blandford girl, currently battling E coli in Southampton General Hospital, said: “Why does it need a newspaper to get involved for PHE to do something?

“They could have let people know about the symptoms and what to look out for weeks or months ago.”

He said his granddaughter had been in theatre for an operation on Wednesday and was now back on dialysis. “We are just keeping everything crossed at the moment. It’s so heartbreaking to walk in and see her hooked up to all these machines.”

Gabrielle Archer, whose son Isaac Mortlock was among the first victims of the current outbreak, said: “I’m devastated to hear that these other children are now suffering and going through the daily blood tests and dialysis that Isaac had to go through.

“I feel that perhaps had Public Health England taken this case a bit more seriously that might not have happened. Had they put it out there and made people aware of the risks and symptoms, perhaps they might be okay.

A spokesperson for PHE said they had been proactive but said this did not necessarily mean engaging with the media.

She said there were always cases of E coli and they were constantly promoting good hygiene as a way of safeguarding against it.

But if PHE doesn’t know what the source is, how can they say they’re constantly promoting good hygiene as a way of safeguarding against it?

A better approach would be: we don’t know, this is what we’re doing to find out more, and you’ll hear it from PHE first.

U.K. health authority’s lack of public information questioned in E. coli O55 outbreak

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Doug chronicled one of the issues that public health folks deal with regularly – what to tell the public about investigations into outbreaks, and when – for his most recent column for Texas A&M’s Center for Food Safety,

Go public too early, and make a mistake, and a corporation or industry’s reputation could unduly suffer. Go public too late, and individuals and businesses may be denied critical information they could use to protect public health.

An E. coli O55 outbreak that has led to at least 11 illnesses has family members challenging the unwritten dogma of when health officials go public, according to the Bournemouth Daily Echo.Screen Shot 2014-11-28 at 5.14.57 PM

Victims of the E coli outbreak have criticised Public Health England for not doing more to publicise the risks of the bug.  PHE stressed it had thoroughly investigated each and every case but had not been able to find any common source between the cases in July and August. It said it had not told any of the victims their cases were closed but that activity would have slowed because of the lack of any common factor between cases.

But victims and relatives are still unhappy with the way the PHE has handled the issue. The grandfather of a three-year-old Blandford girl, currently battling E coli in Southampton General Hospital, said: “Why does it need a newspaper to get involved for PHE to do something? “They could have let people know about the symptoms and what to look out for weeks or months ago.”

He said his granddaughter had been in theatre for an operation on Wednesday and was now back on dialysis. “We are just keeping everything crossed at the moment. It’s so heartbreaking to walk in and see her hooked up to all these machines.”

Gabrielle Archer, whose son Isaac Mortlock was among the first victims of the current outbreak, said: “I’m devastated to hear that these other children are now suffering and going through the daily blood tests and dialysis that Isaac had to go through. “I feel that perhaps had Public Health England taken this case a bit more seriously that might not have happened.”

A spokesperson for PHE said they had been proactive but said this did not necessarily mean engaging with the media.

In a related story, the mother of one of the children tragically impacted by the outbreak detailed the devastating effects of E. coli O55

These horrifying images of 21-month old Freddy Osborne seriously ill with E coli show just how serious the bug can be. Mum Charlotte Fudge, 25, allowed the Echo to print the picture of Freddy in intensive care to raise awareness of the illness, which since July has affected 10 people who are either residents in Dorset or visited the county. It’s believed Freddy, of Bournemouth, was the first to contract the disease in July and spent a month in Southampton General Hospital, two weeks of which he spent in paediatric intensive care. He needed four blood transfusions, one platelet transfusion and had four seizures due to swelling on the brain. One of these lasted for four hours and left him blind for 10 days. Following this seizure, he was put into a coma for six days as it was too dangerous for him to try and breathe by himself. He had fluid on his heart causing his heart rate to go up to 202 beats per minute and he ended up suffering from morphine withdrawal.