Nine case E.coli outbreak in Plymouth 'linked to crab meat'
Health protection officers are investigating an E. coli outbreak in Plymouth believed to be linked to crab meat.
Environmental health officers and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) launched an inquiry after nine cases were confirmed in the city.
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It is believed to be the first reported outbreak of the E.coli O157 strain associated with the consumption of crab.
The investigation is continuing but there is a suspected link with an unapproved crab supplier.
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Investigators revealed they took action after nine cases emerged in August. There have been no further reports of illness linked to crab since.
The South West HPA and Plymouth City Council said in a joint statement: "A wider investigation is still ongoing following on from the outbreak, so we are not in a position to give full details but we suspect a link to an unapproved crab supplier.
"Environmental health officers from the council acted swiftly to identify crab meat as a possible source and removed all potentially affected crab meat from food establishments as a precautionary measure.
"The team worked closely with the SW (North) Health Protection Unit to investigate the cases and ensure that GPs in Plymouth and beyond were aware of the issue, if anyone presented with symptoms."
The team also alerted food outlets in the city about the importance of only buying food or ingredients from approved or registered suppliers.
"Food outlets were told to remove any food that may have come from an unapproved supplier," the statement added.
A study into the outbreak showed a 'statistically significant' association between cases and the consumption of crab meat away from home.
E.coli is the abbreviated name of bacteria called Escherichia coli.
The most common strain associated with human illness is known as E.coli O157, which is often found in the gut of cattle and farm animals.
People become infected by eating infected food, mainly meat, unpasteurised milk and cheese, contact with infected animals such as at farms or animal sanctuaries, or contact with other people who have the illness, through inadequate hand washing after using the toilet and/or before food-handling.
Infection can also be spread by eating unwashed vegetables which may have been infected by manure from cattle, and drinking or swimming in infected water.
Comments
by excraber
Monday, December 12 2011, 6:20PM
“i agree flipix this is a serious matter im an ex craber and ecoli is very dangerous when it comes to children and shell fish or any meat for tht matter also i can assure you tht the cleaner of tht crab wouldnt be alone and yes very unsanitary
iv heard of people and conditions in which this takes place,please use only legitimate merchants”
by newjanner
Monday, December 12 2011, 5:25PM
“dead mans fingers arent poisonous, just indigestible”
by Flipix1
Monday, December 12 2011, 4:53PM
“To willems and sintapark -
As a parent who has had 2 children struck down with e-coli 0157 and had to deal with the consequences such as complete kidney failure, encephalitis, heart murmers and permanent brain damage - think on this, if you are capable.
While e-coli is not a killer on its own, e-coli 0157 is, it is very serious in young children and the older community. E-coli 0157 is sometimes found on beaches or in rivers as a result of farm water run off after a hot spell followed by heavy rain, it is also found in meat as a result of bad slaughtering practices where washing down has not been thorough and there is cross contamination from not washing equipment and hands and can even be carried on fresh vegetables. It is also extremely contagious and easily passed from one person to another. E-coli 0157 is a bug that has hijacked the e-coli bacteria and infects the host by passing through the intestine, the body fails to recognize the e-coli as hostile resulting in toxic shock which shuts down the body's vital organs and causes the red blood cell walls to break down resulting in random internal bleeds and strokes. There is no treatment to cure this infection which is known as Haemolytic Ureamic Syndrome. The 'lucky' survivors can suffer long term recovery periods with associated kidney and brain damage. It's difficult to know whether e-coli 0157 is on the increase or if it's just being identified more due to awareness to the disease which has been much more widely publicised in recent years.
So before posting vacuous comments. please think about those who are now disabled from e-coli 0157.”
by willems
Monday, December 12 2011, 2:25PM
“Well,some people can't dress themselves properly,let alone a crab.”
by sintapark
Monday, December 12 2011, 1:43PM
“probably eating the dead mans fingers”