E.coli in the UK kills one and makes eight others sick

Aug 15 2007

In the latest food scare in the UK investigators continue to try to pinpoint the source of an E.coli outbreak.

The outbreak has been linked to cooked meat from deli counters at two branches of Morrisons in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

A 66-year-old woman has already died and her 72-year-old husband remains seriously ill in hospital.

A 71-year old woman is also being treated in hospital while an 86-year-old woman and a family of three are recovering at home.

The E.coli 0157 bug is suspected to have been picked up from the cold meat counters at the firm's stores in Lonend and Falside Road; all the victims including another 70 year old woman who became ill while on holiday, are from the Paisley area.

The 70 year became ill while on holiday in Ireland after eating meat bought from the deli counter two weeks ago; she is currently being treated in hospital in the Irish Republic.

A wide-ranging investigation is underway to discover the source of the outbreak and environmental health officers are investigating the 12 suppliers which provide cold cooked meat to Morrisons.

Extensive samples and swabs have been taken from the two branches in Paisley by health officials but no other foods have been implicated in the outbreak so far.

Sliced cold meats have been withdrawn from sale at the deli counters at the two stores and people are being advised not to eat any meats that has been purchased.

The investigation is focused on 80 product lines sold in the delis and a dozen suppliers to the supermarket chain.

The health board says people may have bought the meats as long ago as two weeks and there is the possibility that thousands of people could have bought the products.

Officials said anyone displaying symptoms of the disease, such as stomach cramps, diarrhoea (often bloody), nausea and fever, should consult their doctor.

The bug's long incubation period, which can last up to a fortnight means more cases could still occur and officials say it is too early to say that the outbreak is over.

At present how the contamination began remains a mystery and officials are reluctant to speculate but it is thought that 12 suppliers across Britain are being investigated.

Experts say in most cold-meat outbreaks the bug will have come in on raw red meat, which then contaminates the cold meat; on raw meat, it is not a problem, because the bug is killed on cooking.

On cold meat, which is already cooked and will be eaten cold, is when problems arise; the bug can be spread by knives, on hands or on the work surface.

E.coli 0157 is a harmful strain of the bacterium Escherichia coli which is mainly found in the faeces of animals such as cows and sheep, but rarely causes disease in livestock.

The organism can spread from animal waste to humans when people have direct contact with animals or areas where they have been grazing.

E.coli can also be spread in water supplies and from human to human.

Simple precautions such as careful hand-washing, especially before eating, after handling food and after using the toilet, can help reduce the risk of infection.