it is the most serious manifestation of E. coli infections. It mainly affects children and the weak. Because you have to be careful with raw milk products and raw meat. All it takes is contact to transmit the infection
The case of the 2 and a half year old girl hospitalized in Padua since July with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) he has highlighted the importance of following some advice that can help avoid even serious health problems (especially for the little ones).
In summer the risk of foodborne infections increases, but malga cheese made with raw (unpasteurised) milk, which seems to have been at the root of the infection in little Trentino, should always be avoided.
Raw milk is a food with a high risk of bacterial proliferation: despite the veterinary checks imposed by the regulations, it is practically impossible to guarantee the absence of germs, which can contaminate the product at the time of milking or after.
Among the most dangerous bacteria that can be found in raw milk (or indeed, in the cheese produced from this) is Escherichia coli, a bacterium capable of colonizing the intestinal mucosa which may be harmless, but also produces very dangerous strains .
They are the ones that generate a toxin capable of triggering haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the most serious manifestation of Escherichia coli infections, which mainly affects children and vulnerable individuals (the elderly and immunosuppressed people).
The syndrome is the most important cause of acute renal failure in children, particularly in the first years of life. 25-30% of patients also risk neurological complications. Seu can be fatal in 3-5%.
The severity of the disease depends on the virulence of the bacterial strain, on the age and general condition of the patient, but also on the quantity of contaminated food consumed. In the case of the little girl it seems it was just a taste or even a simple contact with the cheese, but unfortunately this was enough to contract the infection that triggered the very serious illness.
The incubation time for haemolytic uremic syndrome is usually 1 to 5 days.
The first symptoms of the disease are usually diarrhea, sometimes bloody, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain, followed by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure. In the most serious cases, manifestations of a neurological nature may appear such as drowsiness, confusion, blunting of the senses, strabismus and convulsions, coma. Fever is almost never present or in any case does not normally exceed 38.
Diagnosis of Seu is based on clinical symptoms, blood tests, and kidney function tests.
There is no specific therapy and infections are treated with supportive therapies (rehydration, hemodialysis and/or peritoneal dialysis, plasmapheresis, blood transfusions). Antibiotic therapy is not recommended or even contraindicated, because it could favor the release of the toxin with worsening of the patient’s conditions.
Person-to-person contagion is frequent and strict measures must be observed: personal hygiene, frequent hand washing, change of clothes that have come into contact with faeces, disinfection of surfaces. it is very important that the family members of the sick child undergo a stool test to look for bacteria, especially if they have suffered from even mild gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting).
The most important advice to avoid risk is not to drink raw milk and eat its derivatives: there was a time when it was fashionable because it was considered healthier and more nutritious. Not so. Definitely not healthier (it has been written) but neither is it richer in probiotics and is just as digestible as the pasteurized one. The pasteurization process affects only the quantity of vitamins and enzymes (which, moreover, in a balanced diet can be taken from other foods), but the levels of minerals, proteins and sugars are instead the same in both types of milk.
Another warning, the bacterium that causes Seu. Escherichia coli can colonize not only raw milk. normally present in the intestines of ruminants, especially cattle (which are asymptomatic carriers) and faeces can also contaminate meat during slaughter. If the meat is contaminated and eaten undercooked, the germ can be transmitted to humans. It is therefore advisable to avoid the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, especially minced (hamburger, tartare) or carpaccio and to avoid the contamination of ready-to-eat foods (for example salads) with raw meat, for example using the same knife or the same cutting board.
September 2, 2023 (change September 2, 2023 | 15:24)
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