E. Coli In Japan

Japan has enough problems as it is with the nuclear power plant disaster and the aftermath of the monster earthquake it suffered from and now news comes out that the country is on the lookout regarding a breakout of E. Coli that has killed four people since April.

According tot he story, the four people died from the O157 strain of E. coli which isn’t related to the strain of E. coli that has killed 18 people in Europe and sickened over a thousand causing the banning of produce from Spain.

In the Japanese case, the E. coli is suspected to have come from Australia and spread via Korean style barbecue restaurants. At these restaurants patrons sometimes eat raw beef or barbecue raw beef on a grill and share it with one another. It’s believed this is how the contamination spread.

Another twenty or more people have reportedly experienced moderate symptoms but have survived.

These outbreaks of E. coli are frightening as they make it possible to contaminate thousands before the authorities know what’s hit them. They have to wait for symptoms or deaths before they know an outbreak has occurred. The time between an outbreak and detection is critical as if the contamination is found in a widespread product that perhaps might be distributed during a sporting event like hot dogs or popcorn then tens of thousands could be effected and subsequently they might pass it on to their families and neighbors.

That’s why it’s important that people who feel ill after eating that they contact their doctors immediately and double check the symptoms of E. coli.

Filed Under: Offbeat News