Cucumber virus spread panic medical profession to try new therapies in Europe

May spread in Germany in mid-EHEC (EHEC) epidemic continues to spread, as of May 29, 10 people were killed and hundreds of people infected. In addition, including Sweden, Denmark, England and the Netherlands have reported a number of countries, including infections, temporary panic in Europe.

Austria and Czech found contaminated cucumber

May 26, Hamburg, Germany Institute of Health announced that the cucumber from Spain tested positive EHEC bacteria, and suspect that these may be contaminated cucumber province from Spain, Almeria and Malaga province, two exporters. E. coli infections were suspected to vegetables because, Austria, the Czech government on May 29 announced the domestic part of the supermarket imported from Spain, cucumber, tomato and eggplant and other vegetables shelves.

Austria, said health department has received emergency notification from the European Union, warning that two German companies have issued a statement, recalled that they transported to Austria by the cucumber, tomato and eggplant. However, part of Austria has been sold in the supermarket, the authorities called on the public to immediately discard the suspected contaminated vegetables.

Czech Republic said the health sector, a group of suspected contamination by bacteria has been shipped to Hungary cucumber and Luxembourg. However, the two countries has not been informed whether there are infected.

"Disaster area" German national alert

The hardest hit by infectious diseases in northern Germany. Health Institute in Münster, Germany, according to E. coli, Professor of nearly 30 years, said the infection rate of bacteria is very rare.

German local media estimated the current domestic EHEC more than the total number of confirmed and suspected cases of thousands of people, including 10 deaths. German officials said that relevant departments in Germany and Spain are clear before the source of this outbreak, people should stop eating cucumber, tomato, lettuce and vegetable salad.

According to the German "Bild" on May 28 released a public opinion survey, nearly 60% of the respondents said being afraid to eat raw vegetables such as cucumber and tomato. 27, the German Farmers Association said, according to preliminary estimates, EHEC outbreaks to domestic farmers daily economic losses of about 200 million euros.

Spain, "done an injustice," waiting for test results

The request of the European Union, the Spanish government has suspended two exporters related production and sales. However, Spain, said the parties concerned, and now there is no conclusive evidence that Spain should be responsible. Spain is made of two Spanish companies in Germany conducted a survey to identify the native cucumber in Spain, or the way in to Germany contamination. French media said the two businesses have been sent to a laboratory in cucumber samples tested, 30 this month, is expected to be the outcome.

Spanish Agriculture Ministry spokesman interviewed by the media, said the EU had submitted a complaint to protest the German did not come to definite conclusions laboratory bacteria released to the media before the Cucumber from Spain, and Spain asked the German bear the economic loss caused by agriculture .

The medical profession to try new therapies against the disease

Today, we can determine the culprit causing the epidemic EHEC as a variant of "Husec 41". The disease symptoms are bloody diarrhea, blood vessels and impaired renal function, the most serious cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, caused by renal failure and died.

Since the bacteria resistant to many antibiotics, use of antibiotics so they will have a greater toxic bacteria, so there is no good way to treat the virus infection, which will add the people worried about this disease.

However, some hospitals in Germany are currently trying a new treatment, may provide a new weapon to combat the epidemic. "The New England Journal of Medicine" Online Papers recently said that the University of Heidelberg researchers of institutions such as last year with a special antibody therapy three young patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome success. Informed of the news, Hamburg, Hanover and other hospitals in a number of critically ill patients have begun to try this approach.

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