Deadly bug probe
July 1, 2011
Imported fenugreek seeds from Egypt may be the source of the fatal E. coli outbreak that has so far killed 48 people in Europe, preliminary investigations have revealed.
More than 4,000 people became infected with the deadly strain of the bug since an outbreak started in early May. The majority of those who became ill were from Germany or had recently travelled to the country. A smaller, more recent outbreak in France has resulted in no fatalities so far.
Following early investigations, officials from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said there was evidence that the Egyptian seeds were behind both outbreaks.
According to the center, the French outbreak had been "thus far" linked to a batch of seeds exported in 2009, while the German outbreak was connected to seeds from a 2010 shipment.
However, it added that the investigation remained far from giving definitive answer.
"There is still much uncertainty about whether this is truly the common cause of all the infections as there are currently no positive bacteriological results," read a statement issued jointly with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Egyptian officials on Friday dismissed the link as unproven, claiming that export records showed there was no connection between the 2009 batch of seeds and the French outbreak.
Swedish death not linked
The statement also said there was no evidence that a fatality in Sweden, not linked to either of the other two outbreaks, was connected with eating sprouting fenugreek seeds.
The two agencies said an urgent probe had been requested into the distribution of the Egyptian seeds throughout Europe, with a British seed company also linked to the French outbreak.
The agencies said they "strongly recommended" that consumers cook sprouted seed products before eating them. Sprouted fenugreek has become popular in recent years as a component of salads, and is said to confer a wide range of health benefits.
In its most serious form, patients taken ill with the bacterium - known as EHEC - develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the blood, kidneys and nervous system.
Author: Richard Connor (AFP, Reuters)
Editor: Martin Kuebler