Philosophy
The outbreak of a deadly form of E. coli bacteria in Germany has medical experts racing to pinpoint its source -- perhaps on a Spanish vegetable farm -- as well as how this new strain could have evolved.
Researchers now say the new bacteria is a hybrid of two existing ones that have combined to form a super-virulent strain.
The World Health Organization reports the bacteria has killed 18 people and sickened more than 1,500 people in six nations, with the highest number of patients from Germany. U.S. authorities report two travelers returning from Germany contracted the disease and remain seriously ill, but have not spread the infection to others.
"You have an E. coli that's quite nasty and then it got genes from another toxic E. coli and it's become even nastier," said Paul Wigley, professor of food-borne diseases at the University of Liverpool.
Wigley said that the new strain is a combination of entero-aggregative E. coli (EAEC), which is an emerging microbe associated with diarrhea in developing nations, and entero-hemorrhagic e.coli (EHEC), which is similar to the one that caused the deadly hamburger outbreak of E. coli O157.
"It can hang around for a long time in the gut, invade pretty well and produce a toxin that damages the kidneys and can lead to bloody diarrhea," Wigley said.
The bacteria likely came from human or animal waste that came in contact with food. A Beijing lab that sequenced the genome of the bacteria with the help of German health officials said Wednesday that it appears to be resistant to many antibiotics. In fact, using antibiotics, which break apart the bacteria's cells, can release more toxins into the body, Wigley said.
"All you can do is supportive therapy, give patients fluid replacement, blood transfusions, and if kidney failure, then kidney dialysis." Officials with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta caution against panic and are careful not to call it a "super-bug" that can jump borders at will.
"We are talking about a food-borne outbreak," said Christopher Braden, director of CDC's division of food-borne, water-borne and environmental diseases. "There's a potential for this to be transmitted person to person, but no indication that it's happened."
Braden noted that so far, the disease has not affected children as much as adults, and that women are suffering more than men.
"Maybe it's coming from something kids don't normally eat, or something about this organism that doesn't affect kids as adults," Braden said. "We still don't know."
European health officials initially said they believed the source of the outbreak was contaminated vegetables grown in Spain, but have since backed off that claim. There are also reports that organically-grown vegetables like cucumbers were to blame since they rely on manure fertilizers.
In the meantime, several nations have banned food grown in Spain, while Russia has stopped all European produce imports.
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Philosophy
More fearful than the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster--E. coli
"E. Coli Outbreak Tied to Deadly New Strain"
The new bacteria is a hybrid of two existing ones that have combined to form a super-virulent strain.
by
Eric Niiler
June 2nd, 2011
DiscoveryNews
The new bacteria is a hybrid of two existing ones that have combined to form a super-virulent strain.
by
Eric Niiler
June 2nd, 2011
DiscoveryNews
The outbreak of a deadly form of E. coli bacteria in Germany has medical experts racing to pinpoint its source -- perhaps on a Spanish vegetable farm -- as well as how this new strain could have evolved.
Researchers now say the new bacteria is a hybrid of two existing ones that have combined to form a super-virulent strain.
The World Health Organization reports the bacteria has killed 18 people and sickened more than 1,500 people in six nations, with the highest number of patients from Germany. U.S. authorities report two travelers returning from Germany contracted the disease and remain seriously ill, but have not spread the infection to others.
"You have an E. coli that's quite nasty and then it got genes from another toxic E. coli and it's become even nastier," said Paul Wigley, professor of food-borne diseases at the University of Liverpool.
Wigley said that the new strain is a combination of entero-aggregative E. coli (EAEC), which is an emerging microbe associated with diarrhea in developing nations, and entero-hemorrhagic e.coli (EHEC), which is similar to the one that caused the deadly hamburger outbreak of E. coli O157.
"It can hang around for a long time in the gut, invade pretty well and produce a toxin that damages the kidneys and can lead to bloody diarrhea," Wigley said.
The bacteria likely came from human or animal waste that came in contact with food. A Beijing lab that sequenced the genome of the bacteria with the help of German health officials said Wednesday that it appears to be resistant to many antibiotics. In fact, using antibiotics, which break apart the bacteria's cells, can release more toxins into the body, Wigley said.
"All you can do is supportive therapy, give patients fluid replacement, blood transfusions, and if kidney failure, then kidney dialysis." Officials with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta caution against panic and are careful not to call it a "super-bug" that can jump borders at will.
"We are talking about a food-borne outbreak," said Christopher Braden, director of CDC's division of food-borne, water-borne and environmental diseases. "There's a potential for this to be transmitted person to person, but no indication that it's happened."
Braden noted that so far, the disease has not affected children as much as adults, and that women are suffering more than men.
"Maybe it's coming from something kids don't normally eat, or something about this organism that doesn't affect kids as adults," Braden said. "We still don't know."
European health officials initially said they believed the source of the outbreak was contaminated vegetables grown in Spain, but have since backed off that claim. There are also reports that organically-grown vegetables like cucumbers were to blame since they rely on manure fertilizers.
In the meantime, several nations have banned food grown in Spain, while Russia has stopped all European produce imports.
- Government Mandated Veggies
In Elena Kagan's Supreme Court hearings before the Senate's Judicial Committee, Oklahoma's Senator Tom Coburn asked whether it would be constitutionally permissible to pass a law requiring Americans to eat vegetables. Clearly a grandstanding...
- Seven Wonders Of The Microbe World
Bacteria, and the fact that we have to use antibiotics against them every now and then to combat powerful diseases, may conjure up nasty and scary feelings for many people, but let's not be too quick to come up with sweeping generalizations, since...
- Bacteria Art
"Einstein, Radiation and E. coli: Photos Printed in Bacteria Meld Art and Science" by Jakob Schiller September 26th 2012 Wired Photographer and microbiologist Zachary Copfer takes issue with people who say the sciences deflate artistic imagination....
- Organically Grown Foods...big Rip Off?
I often thought it was a merchandising scheme. The Yuppies and nouveau riche bought it. "Organic food no better for vitamins and nutrients, suggests US study" Organic produce no more nutritious than regular food, say researchers, but it does generally...
- Drug-resistant Bacteria...pathway To Man's Demise?
The Lachuguilla cave system, where scientists discovered antibiotic-resistant bacteria, is part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Above, an explorer admires the the Selenite Chandelier display in Carlsbad Caverns."Drug-Resistant Bacteria...