In 1996, several people in Connecticut were diagnosed with an infection of pathogenic E. coli.  In order to determine the source, investigators questioned the people with reported symptoms and linked apple cider to each case.

     To test the probability that each separate case of infection came from the same source, a sample of E. coli was taken from each victim.  Scientists carried out "DNA fingerprinting" on each sample and found that they were all very closely related.

     Now that the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection - a group responsible for ensuring the safety of consumers - knew the cause of the outbreak, they had to issue a warning to all those who purchased contaminated apple cider.  Furthermore, the stock left at retail outlets had to be pulled.

     Further investigation showed that drop apples, apples gathered from the ground, were the likely initial carriers of the pathogenic E. coli.

     Incidents like this of the apple cider contamination exemplify the need for better processing regulations of certain food items.  Several steps could help reduce the risk of contamination:

1. cleaning food during processing

2. separating animals from foods that are oftentimes eaten raw or requires little processing

3. pasteurizing foods suitable for such a process

4. regularly testing for coliform contamination.

This list is by no means exhaustive nor does it guarantee elimination of contamination.  However, if more companies were to implement one or more of these steps, the number of infection cases could drastically be reduced.

     Around October 14, 2004, many people were infected with pathogenic E. coli at the North Carolina State Fair.  Outbreaks still occur.  So what can we do about the spread of E. coli through contact with animals?  Public events should be safe enough for children, and in addition, children should not be deprived of the experience of being around animals.  Parents should be well aware of their children's activity, the event operators need to take necessary precautions, and owners of the animals should implement the most recent and effective means of reducing or eliminating pathogenic E. coli.

     Since it is not very feasible to watch children all the time nor is it probable that children will know well enough to take steps [such as keeping hands out of mouth] to prevent infection, the easiest solution at the level of parent/children would be to sanitize children's hands after contact with animals.  However, this solution does not get rid of the actual pathogen so inherently does not totally eliminate the chance of infection.

     Scientists have recently discovered a new solution that could greatly reduce risk of exposure.  While studying E. coli in sheep, researchers noticed that the pathogenic strains continually disappeared - even after multiple re-infections.  Eventually they isolated a virus that kills most pathogenic strains of E. coli while leaving most harmless strains untouched.  In fact, after the pathogens are destroyed, the virus survives within nonpathogenic strains that naturally exist within the sheep.  This virus is an obvious solution to reducing the chance of pathogenic E. coli making its way to humans either through consumption or through simple contact.  Eliminating the contamination factor in farm animals means parents would not have to worry about kids contacting animals.

     In 2002, the USDA introduced random E. coli testing and began requiring beef processing plants to use at least one method to reduce the chance of producing contaminated meat.  Some companies are actually expanding research to find vaccines and/or feed additives that could greatly reduce E. coli contamination.  Hopefully these extra steps will help to end the spread of pathogenic E. coli through the consumption of meat products.

+For source information, please click here or refer to the references.html page.