25 youngsters were hospitalized Thursday due to the E. coli epidemic. Three were returned home and three are being treated in different provinces. Nine youngsters have hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious consequence.
A growing E. coli outbreak linked to daycares in the Calgary area has sent dozens of kids to the hospital, some with life-threatening problems and has worried parents and medical professionals.
There have been 128 confirmed cases of a form of E. coli that can be deadly for small children, and 25 children have been hospitalized, according to Alberta Health Services (AHS).Additional information includes the release of 3 patients and the transfer of 3 others to neighboring provinces for treatment.
Nine children have been identified with a severe condition that can require dialysis therapy, which experts say is quite concerning.This is not the ordinary E. coli that produces a day or two of watery diarrhea or ‘traveller’s diarrhea,’ “Dr. Stephen Freedman noted, an emergency room physician at Alberta Children’s Hospital and professor at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.
This is an example of the E. coli 0157 strain. Because it produces a toxin that can cause severe organ damage, especially to the kidneys, this strain of E. coli is commonly referred to as shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
“This is one of the most distressing illnesses that we see,” Freedman said in an interview for The Calgary Eyeopener.
Major Issue might be Kidney Failure
Cattle are a major reservoir for this strain, which can contaminate a variety of foods in a variety of ways, including the slaughtering process and drinking water.In an effort to contain the spread of the illness, health officials have closed eleven daycares. The public health department believes a frequent food item prepared in bulk is to blame.
Doctors say that the fact that the epidemic has spread to youngsters under the age of five makes it particularly worrying.
Dr. Cora Constantinescu, an expert in infectious diseases at Alberta Children’s Hospital, said, “What’s scary about this one is that it seems to have a large number of kids involved.”
Health officials in Alberta identify 128 confirmed cases of E. coli, most of which originated in daycare centers.
Early signs of an infection include a high temperature, vomiting, and diarrhea (which may or may not be bloody).
However, if the toxin is absorbed into the bloodstream and begins attacking the kidneys, a disease known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may develop.Constantinescu estimates that while the vast majority of infected infants will make a full recovery, 10-20% will go on to develop HUS.
Kidney failure will force half of those kids onto dialysis.”Because this is a serious condition, that’s why we’re being so vigilant about it,” she said.AHS announced Thursday that nine children have tested positive for HUS. The number of dialysis patients, however, was not disclosed by the relevant health agency.
Subtle Illness:
Intravenous fluids are used to treat dehydration caused by this strain of E. coli.
Infected children, even those who don’t need to be hospitalized, need constant monitoring, including blood testing every 24 hours, because HUS can be quietly harming the organs even while initial symptoms appear to improve.
It’s sneaky, to say the least. So it appears to begin around the time the kids start feeling better. However, Freedman warned that difficulties would arise once that threshold was reached.”In about six days, you’ll be bringing a previously healthy toddler in for dialysis.”
Important signs:
Pediatricians advise thorough parental monitoring for this illness in youngsters.
Your kid has to be checked up if they are showing symptoms. Don’t try to handle that on your own, Constantinescu said; it could seem harmless at first.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has launched a website to serve Albertans seeking data on the E. coli epidemic.
Dr. Tania Principi, a pediatric emergency room physician and clinical associate professor at the University of Calgary, stated, “We have a lot of worried parents and families.”
Children who have been exposed to the outbreak and exhibit any of the following symptoms, as described by Principi, warrant an immediate trip to the emergency room:
Symptoms of diarrhea (which could include blood)
Incapacity to take in liquids
Urinary incontinence occurs less than once every 12 hours.
Urine that is the color of tea; intense discomfort in the abdomen; severe headaches; and unexplained bleeding, bruising, or a purple rash
Dr. Tania Principi, a pediatric emergency room doctor, says parents should keep a watchful eye on their children in order to detect HUS in its early stages.She pointed out that deaths occur rarely if at all. According to AHS, the outbreak has not resulted in any child fatalities.
Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Alberta, has warned that there may be lasting effects as well.The majority of children with kidney impairment do make a full recovery, she noted.
“But even some of those can later show that they actually have lost some kidney function, and might need special monitoring in the future as well.”
Localized Dissemination
Secondary infections among close contacts of infected children are also a cause for alarm.
Fecal-oral transmission allows the bacterium to spread from person to person. That’s possible if the person in question doesn’t properly wash their hands after, say, using the restroom or changing a diaper.
Freedman has noted, “Within-household transmission is a major concern,” adding that the elderly are another high-risk demographic.If at all feasible, “I would really, really try to minimize or eliminate exposure for those grandparents who are involved in care.”
Freedman states that within 10 days of exposure, symptoms typically appear in youngsters. Dialysis is required, on average, seven days following the onset of symptoms if complications arise.