Long-Term Health Risks For St Louis E. coli Outbreak Victims Include Renal Failure, Heart Disease
Victims of the St. Louis E. coli outbreak could face health problems later in life including hypertension, cardiovascular disease and renal impairment or failure. Those are the long-term health risks all victims of E. coli poisoning face, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.
Researchers discovered a correlation between the severity of the initial illness and the likelihood of health complications later in life. For example, compared with those who were mildly ill, those with severe cases were 1.3 times more likely to develop hypertension, 3.4 times more likely to develop renal impairment, and 2.1 times more likely to have a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke.
“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,” the study authors noted.“These long term consequences emphasize the importance of ensuring safe food and water supply as a cornerstone of public health.”
In St. Louis, 36 people had confirmed cases of E.coli poisoning associated with the outbreak. Symptoms of an E.coli infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that is often bloody and vomiting.
Some infections are mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening. Between 5 percent and 10 percent of patients can develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Clues that a person is developing HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC) People with HUS should be hospitalized because their kidneys can fail. Most people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent damage or die. E. coli patients can also develop a complication called TTP (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) which damages damages blood vessles, causing tiny blood clost sto form throughout the body.
Anyone with legal questions about an illness or hospitalization associated with this outbreak can contact the foodborne illness experts at PritzkerOlsen P.A. for a free consultation.
Source: http://group.bmj.com/group/media/19%20November%202010%20-%20E%20coli%20infection%20linked%20to%20long%20term%20health%20problems.pdf
