# 5592
While the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany has the lead on the investigation of the large outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli STEC O104, the CDC is naturally following the events there closely.
Earlier today the CDC released a statement outlining what is currently known about the outbreak, along with a brief Q&A section that addresses some common questions the public may have.
I’ll not reprint the entire statement, but you are encouraged to follow the link to read it in its entirety.
For Immediate Release: June 1, 2011
Contact: CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286CDC Statement on Outbreak of STEC O104:H4 infections in Germany
CDC is following a large outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104, or STEC O104, infections currently going on in Germany. As of May 31, 2011, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's disease control and prevention agency, has confirmed six deaths and 373 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome, or (HUS) (kidney failure), a life-threatening complication of E. coli infections.
To date, no confirmed cases of STEC O104 infections have been reported in U.S. travelers to Europe. Two cases of HUS in the United States have been reported in persons with recent travel to Hamburg, Germany. CDC is working with state health departments to learn more about these two cases and to identify others. CDC has been in contact with the German public health authorities at RKI. We have alerted state health departments in the United States of the ongoing outbreak. We have also requested that they report to CDC any cases in which people have either HUS or Shiga toxin-positive diarrheal illness, with illness onset during or after travel to Germany since April 1, 2011.
The strain of STEC causing illness, STEC O104:H4, is very rare. CDC is not aware of any cases of STEC O104:H4 infection ever being reported in United States. Any person with recent travel to Germany with signs or symptoms of STEC infection or HUS, should seek medical care and let the medical provider know about the outbreak of STEC infections in Germany and the importance of being tested. Symptoms of STEC infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high. Most people get better within 5–7 days, but some patients go on to develop HUS—usually about a week after the diarrhea starts. Symptoms of HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color to skin and membranes due to anemia.
For some of the best day-to-day coverage of this story, I would direct my readers to Crof at Crofsblog, who has been spending a lot of time finding and translating news items from the German Press.
For now, the source of this rare form of E. coli remains a mystery, and the number of cases continues to grow.
