Thai Hospitals On E.Coli Alert

[webfact]

Thai hospitals on E coli alert

BANGKOK, June 4 -- Thai hospitals nationwide have been instructed to be on alert for a deadly new toxic strain of E coli that has killed about 20 people worldwide. It is believed to have originated from poor hygiene at a farm, in transit, or in a shop or food outlet, senior Thai public health ministry officials said.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Paijit Warachit said the ministry’s Disease Control Department found that typically about one million patients suffering from diarrhoea are found in tropical countries annually. Since the beginning of this year, about 530,000 patients suffering from diarrhoea were found in Thailand, of which 21 died, but no cases of the rare strain of the bacteria which is now attacking European countries were found in this country so far.

Dr Paijit said his ministry is now monitoring E coli in two ways: through food and drug checkpoints which is the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and through hospitals throughout the country which have been told to immediately send samples for laboratory tests on patients suspected of suffering from acute diarrhoea.

Dr Rungrueng Kitphati, director of the Bureau of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said hospitals nationwide have been instructed to accelerate diagnosing patients suffering from severe diarrhoea and send samples for laboratory tests as Thailand has never experienced this disease before, and people should not panic because the number of patients found in Europe now is still relatively small.

“There are reports that the source of E.coli is attributed to changes in environment which has contaminated food and agricultural products. People who have eaten these contaminated food will suffer from acute diarrhea and frequent vomiting, causing kidney to function abnormally and some patients would die between three or four days after being infected,” Dr. Rungruang said.

Dr Pipat Yingseri, secretary-general of FDA, said his office had conducted random tests on vegetables and fruits from Spain and Germany but did not find any of them tainted with the new bacteria.

Reuters, a global news agency quoted European health institutes as saying yesterday that the spread of E coli can be contained by washing vegetables and hands before eating, or preparing food to avoid bacteria being passed on from the faeces of an infected person.

The failure to find the source of the outbreak, complicated by the fact that salads include a variety of ingredients from different producers often from different countries, has becoming increasingly worrying for health authorities and consumers, Reuters said.

The centre of the outbreak of the deadly bacteria was reported in early May in Hamburg, Germany, and the number of those detected with the disease in that country rose to 1,733 with the death toll at 18 as of yesterday, according to Reuters. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-06-04

[diehard60]

Wow!!!! I don't believe it. Here is the first good bit of news from Thai visa and no-one has said a word.

Thank you Thai Visa for the news. I have passed this on to my friends. Oh yes I do have some friends. 5555555555555

[Scott]

One off-topic post deleted.

[backsoon]

People with high COLISTEROL are at higher risk than others

[sirchai]

One off-topic post deleted.

Reuters, a global news agency quoted European health institutes as saying yesterday that the spread of E coli can be contained by washing vegetables and hands before eating, or preparing food to avoid bacteria being passed on from the faeces of an infected person.

It obviously wouldn't work in the northeast, where people are using their hands to eat. Even after being on the toilet, without the possibility to wash them afterwards. :jap:

[Samuian]

german press concludes: "Spanische Gurken sind unschuldig!" - "Spanish cucumbers are innocent!"

in the mean time Mr.Putin slam's the "EU killer cucumbers" and "all western vegetables!"

hope this isn't the start of a new coolied war - the prospect seems chilling!

Edited June 4, 2011 by Samuian

[seriouseats]

its definitely not because of people cutting chicken and other meat product that are tainted and kept in the sun all day, then using that knife to brush their teeth or cut veggies

[skippybangkok]

sounds pretty shitty

[anterian]

This is a joke, Thailand just likes to think it is playing with the big boys. Since when has Thailand imported salad vegetables from Europe?

Europeans live in ultra sanitary conditions, have lost their natural resistance to normal bacteria. Thais grow up in a bacteria rich environment, only westerners get Delhi Belly.

[VictorOne]

People with high COLISTEROL are at higher risk than others

So are those that have eaten their dictionary's

[SICHONSTEVE]

Wow!!!! I don't believe it. Here is the first good bit of news from Thai visa and no-one has said a word.

Thank you Thai Visa for the news. I have passed this on to my friends. Oh yes I do have some friends. 5555555555555

What good news???

[kalseo]

I am not really sure what exactly is going on E Coli existence is known for more than 200 years. All strains of bacteria are harmless, excepts the one that are developed in human body for more than a month, found in cucumbers I believe total bulshit, but can be found in any toilet, bath tub, goat meat. Resistance of antibiotics, I don't think so. There is 3rd and also 4th generation of antibiotics, come on those can treat gonorrhea and syphilis with single dose, what about bacteria that everybody have had at least once every year.

[ricardofel]

I am not really sure what exactly is going on E Coli existence is known for more than 200 years. All strains of bacteria are harmless, excepts the one that are developed in human body for more than a month, found in cucumbers I believe total bulshit, but can be found in any toilet, bath tub, goat meat. Resistance of antibiotics, I don't think so. There is 3rd and also 4th generation of antibiotics, come on those can treat gonorrhea and syphilis with single dose, what about bacteria that everybody have had at least once every year.

Read the news Kalseo....this strain does NOT respond to anti-biotics....you believe??? Are you a WHO doctor or NIH doctor....maybe a podiatrist?

[SICHONSTEVE]

I am not really sure what exactly is going on E Coli existence is known for more than 200 years. All strains of bacteria are harmless, excepts the one that are developed in human body for more than a month, found in cucumbers I believe total bulshit, but can be found in any toilet, bath tub, goat meat. Resistance of antibiotics, I don't think so. There is 3rd and also 4th generation of antibiotics, come on those can treat gonorrhea and syphilis with single dose, what about bacteria that everybody have had at least once every year.

Read the news Kalseo....this strain does NOT respond to anti-biotics....you believe??? Are you a WHO doctor or NIH doctor....maybe a podiatrist?

Just an avid Googler or wikipediatrist probably or maybe he owns a set of encyclopaedia Brittanica.

[PEP]

Well,Ladies and Gentlemen, I wiil tell you of a quite possible source of e-coli here in Issan:-

Like the majority of residents in our village we have a septic tank/s that the chappie in the tanker pumps out [solids & liquids] as required. Where does he empty his tanker load? To my own observation he drives a few hundred metres from the boundry of the village and drains the contents into a conveniently located rice paddy. This is the normal practice but of late the little farmer down the road has "put his hand up" for a few tanker loads to be dumped on his plot of corn, chillis and cucumbers. These vegetables are all sold to village residents or at the tambon market.

Eat and enjoy!Oh! and don't forget to wash your hands before eating your salad.

[Gers1873]

"diarrhea found in Thailand"?? Sounds like Bovine Scatology.

With the remarkably unhygienic practices found around this country - especially in markets it will be hard to differentiate from the 'normal runs'.

Thai health authorities love to scaremonger. Time to clean up their own filth first.

[arrowsdawdle]

People with high COLISTEROL are at higher risk than others

So are those that have eaten their dictionary's

Or haven't eaten for a spell.

[arrowsdawdle]

Well,Ladies and Gentlemen, I wiil tell you of a quite possible source of e-coli here in Issan:-

Like the majority of residents in our village we have a septic tank/s that the chappie in the tanker pumps out [solids & liquids] as required. Where does he empty his tanker load? To my own observation he drives a few hundred metres from the boundry of the village and drains the contents into a conveniently located rice paddy. This is the normal practice but of late the little farmer down the road has "put his hand up" for a few tanker loads to be dumped on his plot of corn, chillis and cucumbers. These vegetables are all sold to village residents or at the tambon market.

Eat and enjoy!Oh! and don't forget to wash your hands before eating your salad.

Like all good locals, wash your hands right before using the toilet.

[arrowsdawdle]

Wow!!!! I don't believe it. Here is the first good bit of news from Thai visa and no-one has said a word.

Thank you Thai Visa for the news. I have passed this on to my friends. Oh yes I do have some friends. 5555555555555

What good news???

[SICHONSTEVE]

Wow!!!! I don't believe it. Here is the first good bit of news from Thai visa and no-one has said a word.

Thank you Thai Visa for the news. I have passed this on to my friends. Oh yes I do have some friends. 5555555555555

What good news???

Thanks for the explanation!!!

[Xonax]

About One Million patients suffering from Diarrhorea are found in tropical countries annually!

I guess that this figure would be One Billion, if they just searched a little more.

[Suradit]

It obviously wouldn't work in the northeast, where people are using their hands to eat. Even after being on the toilet, without the possibility to wash them afterwards.

Since the origin of this disease appears to be in Europe (similarly Mad Cow disease and most recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, etc) one can only wonder at the personal hygiene of Europeans, but thanks for sharing your personal observations on toilet use in "the northeast."

[MikeCNX]

It obviously wouldn't work in the northeast, where people are using their hands to eat. Even after being on the toilet, without the possibility to wash them afterwards.

Since the origin of this disease appears to be in Europe (similarly Mad Cow disease and most recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, etc) one can only wonder at the personal hygiene of Europeans, but thanks for sharing your personal observations on toilet use in "the northeast."

looool

ever been to europe?

[OzMick]

One off-topic post deleted.

Reuters, a global news agency quoted European health institutes as saying yesterday that the spread of E coli can be contained by washing vegetables and hands before eating, or preparing food to avoid bacteria being passed on from the faeces of an infected person.

It obviously wouldn't work in the northeast, where people are using their hands to eat. Even after being on the toilet, without the possibility to wash them afterwards. :jap:

Over the last few million years, they seem to have worked out a system where one hand is for the food and the other for the other - even in Issan. If you havn't worked this out yet, it's probably why you don't get asked around for meals.

Westerners tend to forget, especially left-handers, so I make a point of sitting on my left hand while communal dining.

[OzMick]

"..............preparing food to avoid bacteria being passed on from the faeces of an infected person."

You could only hope to avoid the faeces of anyone, or thing for that matter.

Anterian may have a good point. Just back from oz, I was amazed at the number of anti-bacterial sprays, wipes and hand-washes being advertised. If you lose your immunity gained from frequent exposure, even common bugs will kill you.

Using human waste as fertilizer is as old as time, and not a problem if the food is properly prepared. I used to own 40 acres of very poor grazing land, and would have loved a truckload or two, but of course, it was illegal in the nanny state. But, I could dump as much cow crap (from the local dairies) as I liked - logical eh?

[themockrat]

E.Coli is probably a standard ingredient in most street food stalls.

[Joop50]

The latest news is that this EHEC bacterium possibly comes from meat. Which is very likely because of the many antibiotics usage in the meat industry, as a result of which this bacterium is antibiotics resistant .

This E-coli variation use to be found in the abdomen from cattle, pigs and chicken. It was in the newspaper today so, tomorrow the Russians ban the EU meat. (and not only the Russians I suppose)

[exbelg]

18 deaths worldwide on 6.000.000.000 people.... time to start to panic...

100.000 people per day die in the world from hunger....

[elcent]

The EHEC bacteria (Ehec- O104:H4) broke out in Germany, in Hamburg, from where most of the cases are reported. It is still spreading. Vegetables are ruled out or are most likely not the case, but still the panic continues.

It's a very dangerous strain of the bacteria, in many cases deadly and resistant to any known treatment, more women than men are affected. It's a cross breeding of two e-coli bacterias with no treatment yet. WHO said that the bacteris is known for some time, but it never broke out like this. It's also known that the Afghan population has huge problems with these kind of bacterias, thousands a year are dying, some suggest it is part of the warfare strategies there.

Since the root cause of the outbreak isn't clear yet (which is very strange, it started about a month ago), the search continues, many expert fear it escaped from a Military health research institute in Hamburg or even was planted by BIO weapon terrorists.

As I type the authoirities follow up a new trace that leads to a Restaurant in Luebeck (North - Germany and not so far from Hamburg), 18 infected people, one woman died, were eating there from May 12 - 14.

[SICHONSTEVE]

18 deaths worldwide on 6.000.000.000 people.... time to start to panic...

100.000 people per day die in the world from hunger....

A sobering thought!!! but this figure does seem rather high as that is 1 million deaths from a single cause in 10 days. I know that Africa is suffering terribly on account of extreme poverty and from encountering severe droughts year in, year out, but surely there cannot be this amount of people dying of starvation every day!! can there?? That's horific and unbelievable if true and there is something terribly wrong in our world!!