121 people were infected after eating romaine lettuce infected with the bacteria Escherichia Coli in the United States. Among them, 52 were hospitalized. One person died.
Romaine lettuce makes Americans sick: salads contaminated by the bacteria Escherichia Coli killed a person in California. A total of 121 people were infected, among them 52 were hospitalized. 14 people have hemolytic uremic syndrome, a special type of kidney failure caused by the bacteria.
For now, the authorities do not know what triggered the contamination, but around twenty investigations are open. In the United States, the last contamination of this magnitude took place in 2006, after the contamination of spinach by E.Coli.
In France, Camemberts de Normandie AOP were recalled at the end of April. No case of poisoning has been reported so far. But all the camemberts of lot 260218DS0 must be brought back to the store.
A potentially dangerous bacteria
The E. Coli bacterium is present in the digestive tract of humans, but also of certain animals, in particular cattle. It multiplies every 20 minutes when in a 37 ° C environment. Not all strains are dangerous.
But when humans are contaminated with a dangerous strain, it can produce shiga-toxins, which are the ones that can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). It affects red blood cells and kidneys and may require blood transfusions and dialysis. In 3 to 5% of cases, HUS is fatal.
Limit the risks with some hygiene measures
To avoid any contamination, the meat must be cooked thoroughly, especially for children under 5 years old. The consumption of raw milk cheeses is not recommended for children and the elderly. It is also important to separate foods that are cooked from those that are raw, and thoroughly clean any object in contact with raw meat.
.