The General Directorate of Health has launched a health investigation following the increase in the number of cases of haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) since the beginning of February.
Public Health France is sounding the alarm. Since the beginning of February, 13 children aged 1 to 15 have been affected by hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). One died, said the health authority without giving further details. A health investigation is currently underway. The cases were identified in five regions: New Aquitaine (5 cases), Hauts-de-France (3 cases), Ile-de-France (3 cases), Brittany (1 case) and Pays de la Loire (1 case) .
What is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)?
This disease is mainly caused by a bacterium belonging to the family of Escherichia coli (E. coli). It is caught by the consumption of animal products (meat or dairy products) that are poorly cooked or eaten raw. Fresh fruits and vegetables can also be at risk if they have been in contact with the bacteria. The majority of strains ofE. coli are harmless, but some are the cause of sometimes serious food poisoning.
What are the symptoms of an infection?
An infection caused by strains E. coli cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, sometimes with blood, vomiting and fever within 3 to 8 days. The toxins produced “destroy the wall of blood vessels and cause coagulation problems as well as high blood pressure”, specifies thePastor Institute. Neurological complications or renal failure may occur.
A particularly serious bacterium for the youngest
National surveillance of bacteria-related infections Escherichia coli was implemented in 1996. In 2019, 71% of pediatric HUS cases were under the age of three. That year, 17 cases were observed in children under 5 years old. Consumption of raw milk contaminated with E. coli was in question. The largest such outbreak was seen in 2005, this time caused by contaminated frozen ground beef. Some 69 cases, including 57 children under the age of 13, had been identified. Although children are the most vulnerable, adults can also be affected by an infection caused by E. coli.
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