E. Coli Infections Detection and Prevention Information

Part 3

by Laurie Girand

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How Parents Can Help Prevent and Halt Future E. Coli Epidemics

As of November, 1996, parents MUST educate themselves about food processing. Between where food is grown and when it reaches your child, there are many opportunities for E. coli to enter the system. Having educated yourself, YOU SHOULD WRITE, FAX OR E-MAIL YOUR GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES and recommend the preventative methods you prefer.

There are five ways in which animal waste products can contaminate fruit and vegetables virtually at their source. First, ground beef can be affected when certain cow body parts are ground up. Second, fecal matter can get into other cow products such as milk or cheese in a similar fashion. Third, contaminated manure can be used to grow fresh produce. Fourth, water can be contaminated and used on growing fruit and vegetables. Fifth, tree fruit can fall on the ground where animals, such as cow or deer, have defecated.

The government could mandate a complete separation between animal products and fresh produce. For example, food could be grown only in sterilized manure and water. Cows would not be allowed to graze in orchards. This might not resolve all possible contamination for foods purchased from outside the U.S.

Beyond the source, there are at least three ways in which fresh produce can be contaminated before it gets to your grocery store or restaurant. First, it can be contaminated by unsafe practices at the manufacturing plant. Second, it can be contaminated by human contact by an E. coli infected person with unclean hands. Third, it could be contaminated by other similar fruit or vegetables with which it comes into contact.

The government already mandates many health practices such as handwashing and manufacturing plant sanitization which are presently insufficient. More needs to be done.

At the plant, fresh fruit and vegetables can be turned into processed foods such as salads "in-a-bag" or fresh squeezed juices.

At the grocery store, parents should be warned about which products may be contaminated. No matter how you feel about other solutions, labeling ON products and IN grocery stores is an inexpensive, educational method for notifying parents about the risk of death in feeding uncooked, unsterilized products to children. A similar, successful campaign was launched against feeding honey to children under the age of 2 which has dramatically reduced cases of botulism.

At home, we need to clean fresh produce, cook them thoroughly before giving them to our families, wash counters that come into contact with food, and regularly wash hands.

The government should make E. coli infection and HUS complications reportable diseases to the Center for Disease Control. At the moment, it is tracked by a majority of states, but because the CDC is not accountable, evidence of this growing threat to the food supply is not gathered, and when widespread epidemics occur, children continue to be affected long after they should have been because there is no central method of notification across state lines. Doctors can also be unaware that an epidemic is going on and therefore misdiagnose the preliminary symptoms.

At a state level, parents should demand quick response to such epidemics. In 1996, because the King County/Seattle Health Department quickly researched and identified its E. coli cases and notified the manufacturer of the juice, California and Colorado learned that their cases might be related. If you live in a state other than Washington, you should be concerned about the speed with which your health department might respond to prevent and epidemic.

The government and industry should invest in faster tests to quickly and accurately identify E. coli infections in people and contamination in food. Only with quick identification can the spread of E. coli epidemics be slowed.

Medical Disclaimer

The information here does not replace or substitute for the advice of your medical professional(s). It is provided as an informational service only. Please discuss any facts, issues, problems or symptoms with your medical professional immediately. Disclaimer

Credits

Laurie Girand wrote this article after her daughter Anna was infected. We thank Dr. Steve Harris, a pediatrician, for his review and contributions to this article. For more details about Anna's case, read Anna's Story