Future Risks for E. coli O157:H7 Vicitms and Compensation for Future Medical Expenses
Survivors of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning and their families are desperate for information. They want to know what will happen to them in the future as a result of their illness.
A new medical journal article entitled “Long term risk for hypertension, renal impairment, and cardiovascular disease after gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7: a prospective cohort study” (BMJ 2010;341:c6020doi:10.1136/bmj.c6020) addresses those concerns. Sadly, the results of this study are worrisome.
In 2000 there was a significant E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada. A community well was infected with E. coli O157:H7 and more than 2300 people developed gastrointestinal illness as a result. Although most of those people were not specifically tested for E. coli O157:H7 (because of the rural hospitals were overwhelmed by the number of sick people), it was assumed they were outbreak victims. The study was conducted because of “Concerns about the potential for [long term] progressive subclinical disease” in outbreak case-patients.
Participants in the study who experienced acute gastroenteritis (defined as a diarrheal illness lasting more than three days, or diarrhea with more than 3 loose stools per day or any amount of blood diarrhea) were:
- 1.3 times more likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure)
- 3.4 times more likely to develop both structural and functional renal (kidney) impairment
- 2.1 times more likely to report a physician diagnosis of a cardiovascular event (i.e. heart attack, stroke or congestive heart failure)
The authors conclude:
Our findings underline the need for following up individual cases of food or water poisoning by E. coli O157:H7 to prevent or reduce silent progressive vascular injury. Hypertension is the most common treatable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and given the silent nature of hypertension and renal impairment, annual blood pressure monitoring and periodic monitoring of renal function may be warranted for individuals who experience acute gastroenteritis after exposure to food or water contaminated with E. coli O157:H7…
This study means that our E. coli O157:H7 clients are entitled to the cost of significant future medical care necessary to recognize and treat the medical problems identified in this article. It also means that E. coli O157:H7 victims need to share this information with their doctors (who might not otherwise be familiar with these findings).
A free copy of this study may be found here.
