OUTBREAK OF E COLI SUPER TOXIC STRAIN OF BACTERIA CAUSE SERIOUS CONCERN

What's been in the top news the last several days, is a massive European outbreak of new super-toxic strain of E-Coli bacteria.The Health Protection Agency yesterday said seven people in the UK have been affected by the virulent strain, three of them Britons and four German nationals. In Germany, thousands of people are thought to be sick. Hilde Kruse, a food safety expert at the World Health Organisation, said: “the new strain various characteristics that make it more virulent and toxin- producing”.



How terrible that wonderful veggies like salad leaves tomatoes and cucumbers have to be infected

All the cases in the UK caught the infection in Germany. There are now cases of E.coli poisoning in 10 European countries; there have been 17confirmed deaths and more than 1,600 people have been affected. It is thought the outbreak has been caused by infected salad produce, especially cucumbers – public health experts have warned people travelling to Germany to avoid eating raw tomatoes, cucumbers and leafy salad including lettuce. The symptoms are diarrheoa, followed by kidney failure and death. . It is advised anyone returning from Germany with an illness, including bloody diarrhoea, should seek medical attention. Russia has banned importing all vegetables from entire European Union. The virulent strain of E-Coli bacteria is resistant to existing and known antibiotics. The scientists and medical experts are not close to discovering the source of the bacteria. It is possible that that the deadly bacteria originated from animals, fertilizers, manure and or water that found it's way to infect the vegetables.

On BBC,a farmer at Covent Garden Market was saying how he would be earning 50% less on his vegetable sales, due the E-Coli breakout.  It is advised not to eat raw vegetables to avoid infection and its probably more safe to wash them well and cook them before eating.

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2011/06/03/e-coli-strain-may-be-a-mutant-mongrel-form-91466-28812553/#ixzz1OCDokrBQ