E. Coli Kills Virginia Child

Doctors in Johnson City, Tenn., have confirmed that a two year old girl from Dryden, Va., died of a virulent form of E. coli, but that it was unrelated to the strain that has caused deaths and widepread illness in Germany.

The Johnson City Press quotes the medical director of the Northeast Regional Health Office in Johnson City as saying the child apparently was sicked with the 0157 strain of E. coli, not the rare form that surfaced this month in Europe. That outbreak has killed 24 people so far and sickened hundreds more.

The girl's brother was also sickened by the E. coli bacteria but survived.

Meanwhile, at least eight other cases of E. coli have been confirmed in northeast Tennessee, according to health officials. One of the eight cases is said to be severe. Health officials are investigating to determine the source of the contamination.

There are several strains of E. coli and some have fairly mild symptoms. The 0157 strain is among the most severe in the U.S. and can be life threatening.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some kinds of E. coli cause disease by making a toxin called Shiga toxin. The bacteria that make these toxins are called “Shiga toxin-producing” E. coli, or STEC for short.

The most commonly identified STEC in North America is E. coli O157:H7, often shortened to E. coli O157 or even just “O157.”

Consumers are most often exposed to E. coli bacteria in food. Recent outbreaks in the U.S. have been caused by contaminated produce, which is often eaten raw, or improperly cooked meat. Thorough cooking normally kills the bacteria.