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GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva late Thursday 2 June confirmed earlier reports that the E. coli strain that has been identified as the killer of 16 people in Europe is a new strain. It issued this statement:

“The strain of  enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) 0104:H4 isolated from cases in the EHEC infection outbreak in Germany is a rare one, seen in humans before, but never in an EHEC outbreak. This has been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Escherichia and Klebsiella, the Statens Serum Institut in Denmark.

“The molecular/genetic features of this pathogen are important in helping authorities to identify cases in other countries that could be associated with the outbreak in Germany and to identify the source of the outbreak. While epidemiological and laboratory investigations continue, the source of the outbreak still remains unknown.

The WHO says that “cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) [Ed. note: a complication that involves the kidneys] and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) continue to rise in Germany. Ten countries have now reported cases to WHO/Europe.” Nine people in Germany have died from HUS and six from E. coli. One person in Sweden has died.

Two people in Switzerland have been infected and both are being treated for E. coli. They had recently been in northern Germany.

The WHO said Thursday that more than 1,500 people are hospitalized in Germany, about one-third of them being treated for HUS and the other for E. coli. The number of those treated for the serious complications that HUS brings, 97 more on 1 June than the day before, is rapidly increasing, the WHO points out.

People should continue to use careful hygiene, the WHO recommends: “The normal hygiene measures should be observed, hand washing after toilet use and before touching food. Anyone who has developed bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain, and who has had contact recently with northern Germany, should seek medical advice urgently.”

Links to other sites: CTV, Canada, Der Spiegel, Germany, European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,  WHO “five keys to safer food” page