First Grade Boy Dies From E. coli Infection
E. coli has taken the life of a first grade boy in Hackensack, New Jersey. E. coli is extremely dangerous to children and treatment primarily consists of preventing dehydration. The CDC does not recommend the use of antibiotics because they may increase the risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States and a frequent cause of E. coli-related death. E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for about 70% of HUS cases in the United States.
Officials at Jackson Avenue School, the school the boy attended, notified parents in a letter of the death. According to a report by CBS news (wcbstv.com), school officials think the risk to other students is low:
"We are very confident at this point based on the information they provided us that this is an isolated incident and there is no need for concern," Hackensack Superintendent Dr. Joseph Montesano told CBS 2 HD.
What's unclear, however, is how the boy contracted the bacteria.
State health officials say the Jackson Avenue School nurse sent the boy home sick on June 13, but he did not have diarrhea or a fever. That's important because health officials say E. coli is typically transmitted when those symptoms are present.
Although the source of the E. coli bacteria responsible for the death of this young boy may never be known, what is known is that every case of E. coli is caused by unsanitary conditions. This could be ground beef or fresh produce contaminated with feces, contaminated water, or the hands of someone who didn’t take the time to wash their hands well. The beef and produce industries need to put far more effort into E. coli prevention; restaurants need to train all employees in food safety and E. coli prevention; and federal regulators have to enact regulations that will ensure the safety of our food supply. E. coli is preventable.