This outbreak is caused by a different EHEC bacterium than the outbreak reported in June. FHI has started an outbreak investigation together with relevant municipal chief medical officers, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Veterinary Institute. All the infected fell ill in July and none of them have traveled abroad.
The infected are aged < 5 to 45 years, and live in Trøndelag (4), Viken and Vestfold and Telemark. Two of them have developed the serious complication haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). In addition, a further HUS case has been notified where EHEC has been detected, but we are awaiting more analyzes before we can say whether the person is infected with the same strain of bacteria as the other cases. It is not yet known what the source of infection is, but it is common for gastrointestinal bacteria to become infected through food.
– At the present time, we cannot say whether this is a limited outbreak or whether there may be new cases, says Silje Bruland Lavoll, senior physician in the section for infection from food, water and animals at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Investigative work can be complicated and take time, and in many cases we are unable to find the source of infection or to clarify whether it is a common source.
– We follow the situation closely and work closely with the municipal health service, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Veterinary Institute, she adds.
– The Norwegian Food Safety Authority assists the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and municipal chief physicians in obtaining information from the sick persons and their relatives. Interviews are conducted about what the people have eaten and what they have been in contact with, says senior advisor Turid Berglund in the biological food safety section of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
Preliminary analyzes show that it is the bacterium EHEC O26:H11, which has been detected in all those infected. FHI is now working on further analyzes (whole genome sequencing) to confirm this.
FoodWorld 