Thai Hospitals On E.Coli Alert

[samurai]

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.

How many experts exactly?

[metisdead]

A nonsensical post has been removed.

[Imkah]

The Chinese gene-research center BGI has analysed this specific E. coli bacteria that so far has killed 18 people in Europe. None in Asia. This bacteria is an so far unknown thread, very contagious and in many cases lethal. Resistant to most antibiotics. There is so far no proof of human-to-human delivery. Source is not found, but probably in Northern Germany according to ECDC.

So wash your hands and if you have Northern German friends or cows; just don't let them shit in your cabbage field. Asia should be safe if we follow these rules.

[ozsamurai]

By some estimates, human manure contains up to 1,000,000,000,000 bacteria per gram. A trillion bacteria is equivalent to the entire human population of the Earth multiplied by 166. These concepts of size and number are difficult for us humans to grasp. Ten people crammed into an elevator we can understand. A trillion living organisms in a teaspoonful of crap is a bit mind-boggling.

Humanure Handbook

Edited June 4, 2011 by metisdead
Font normalized.

[pastitche]

People with high COLISTEROL are at higher risk than others

So are those that have eaten their dictionary's

COLISTEROL is in the dictionary?

[ChrisNeu]

People with high COLISTEROL are at higher risk than others

So are those that have eaten their dictionary's

Man, that is a great line!

[Imkah]

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!!

I don't know if the number 100.000 a day is correct, but if it is: 5.27% of the inhabitants of the world pay with their lives to keep the steaks on our table. Ketchup included.

[elcent]

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.

How many experts exactly?

They are now looking into all directions since it so unusual strange for tracking the center of the outbreak, which is normally determined within days.

One, I tend to believe to be most likely, is water for transport.

That bacteria is highly fatal.

When you speak German and search and look up German links you can get yourself a better picture, because I don't know of how many experts exactly take into consideration a bio attack or a laboratory accident.

I do know though, that a Mr Davies a "human friendly" CIA agent who handled AlQaida in Pakistan, the one who shot two innocent people because he believed the ISI was after him, allegedly was delivering dirty bomb materials and bio weapons (according to Pakistani inteligence and alternative media outlets). That happened before Germany. Last year over 20 000 Afghans died on similar outbreaks.

While it is true that there is a kind of secret military research center in Hamburg to find cures or defend bio attacks, it's unlikely that we get the truth when it escaped that research institute. - To many questions to answer. It also wouldn't be the first time. This happened elsewhere a couple of times already.

[moe666]

stop feeding cows corn and ecoli will stop being such a problem. corn as it is fed to cows is not a natural food for cows

[frederic]

2 very interesting reading

E.Coli & BioTerrorism

Some understanding on E.Coli found in Germany

[newtronbom]

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.

Did you read the first post??- the news article?? - 'Quote' >> "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. << 'End of quote'. There is a big demand for these veges here, so there is obviously a risk from imports. Posters here usually complain when the Gvt. does nothing and takes no action and here you are complaining when they have taken the correct steps. I for one, cheer the precautions, even though I don't buy any of the "at risk" products. It's just nice to see the Gvt. moving properly with this dangerous threat. AS for natural resistance to many bacteria in Thai people, I believe you are correct. We too can develop resistance if we stay long enough. I must say though, that either the risk is overstated, or I and a couple of good friends who live here too, but in totally different districts have been very lucky. Caught the odd "twinge an trot" but not serious and certainly no more so than many of our own countries. The good wife is always on my back about washing the veges first, no matter where they have come from. I didn't have to teach her that. Also. Despite what you may think, more than a few Thais' are regularly hospitalized with these sort of infections too. Hope none of these nasties do get out here from the EU regardless.

Edited June 4, 2011 by newtronbom

[newtronbom]

People with high COLISTEROL are at higher risk than others

So are those that have eaten their dictionary's

Man, that is a great line!

2nd that! Has to be a classic.

[tombkk]

"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.

I'm impressed with your inside knowledge. Kindly advise how you arrived at this figure.

[tombkk]

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.

Using manure from humans and animals is not only centuries (millenia?) old, it is recommended by environmentalist who are against chemical fertilizers. The veggies grown this way ("biologically") will be sold at a premium price in Europe's eco markets. In fact, all vegetables sold to Europe need a "toxicity certificate" proving that the chemical residiues are below certian values, and organic farms have a competitive advantage.

And yes, it has been a centuries-old (millenia-old?) tradition to not only wash your hands but also wash your vegetables before eating.

Where exactly did you grow up? Do they have agriculture in your country or province? Did you ever visit a farm or plantation in your country before coming to Thailand?

[Jaivin2011]

HMM! Some of the posters here commented about the hygiene and living standards of the Thai poeple here versus those in Europe. So I am to assume that most of these must be the aristocrats or higher strata Europeans who are making these comments but if thats the case why have they moved to Thailand or even considering their backgrounds and lifestyle, why are they on TV....pardon me...but I would have though that they had a more colourful social life. I just got back from a trip to Europe covering England, Spain and Italy and with the exception of Italy.....I found that most of the middle-class and lower end stratum people from England and Spain had a worse personal hygiene and even worst living conditions that most of the Thais in Bangkok!Most of the kitchens that I went to in the homes of the middle-class British were simply yucky!

[Tokay]

So much for sitting on top of a sewer drain, next to a bunch of trash bags, eating food that has been sitting out all day, with the rest of the locals.

Guess I'll just go to McDonalds and eat McNuggets.

[normac44]

I am just reading my morning paper here in Melbourne and it tells that the E.Coli outbreak originated in Germany at a festival in Hamburg.

It states that 25 people fell ill in 2 restaurants , surprisingly most of them were women.

There were 1.5 million people at the festival from all around the world.

[normac44]

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.

I have high cholesterol so should I be worried when I come to Thailand..or anywhere for that matter..could you please explain why I would be at higher risk?

[Lite Beer]

Hospitals on alert for deadly E-coli bug

By The Nation on Sunday

But no sign yet of fatal strain that killed 19 in Europe: health chiefs

Hospitals nationwide have been instructed to be on alert for a deadly new strain of E coli that has killed at least 19 people in Europe and made nearly 2,000 others sick, permanent secretary for Public Health Dr Paijit Warachit said yesterday.

The Public Health Ministry was monitoring E coli in two ways - through food and drug checkpoints, which are the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and through hospitals throughout the country, Dr Paijit was quoted as saying to the Thai News Agency.

He said hospitals had been ordered to immediately send samples for lab tests on patients suspected of suffering from acute diarrhoea.

Dr Rungrueng Kitphati, director of the Bureau of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said hospitals nationwide had been instructed to accelerate diagnosis of patients suffering from severe diarrhoea and to send samples for laboratory tests.

Thailand had never experienced this new strain of E coli before, and people should not panic because the number of patients found in Europe was 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 foods will suffer from acute diarrhoea and frequent vomiting, causing kidneys to function abnormally and some patients could die between three or four days after being infected," he said.

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

The new outbreak in Europe, mostly in Germany, 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.

Paijit said the ministry's Disease Control Department found that, typically, about one million patients are found to suffer diarrhoea in tropical countries annually. Since the start of this year, about 530,000 patients had suffered diarrhoea in Thailand, and 21 of them had died.

But no cases of the rare strain of the bacteria now found in Europe had been detected in Thailand so far, he said.

It was reported yesterday that European health institutes said the spread of E coli could 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 begun to increasingly worry health officials and consumers.

In addition to Germany, cases of E coli poisoning have been reported in Austria, Britain, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

In Germany, reports came in that 17 people who had eaten at a restaurant in the northern city of Luebeck had fallen ill, but local officials were sceptical, the Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported yesterday.

Another report suggested the origin could lie in an anniversary celebration for the port of Hamburg at the beginning of May. The celebrations drew around 1.5 million visitors from May 6-8.

-- The Nation 2011-06-05

[chooka]

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!

There have been 2 deaths in Australia from the spanish cucumbers and vegetable imports from europe have been suspended for the time being.

[sydneyjed]

Wish they showed as much dilligence with the Chiang Mai deaths...What hypocrisy!!!

[anterian]

Imported vegetables from Europe are not found in street markets and mobile shops, these carry local grown or Chinese and Australian imports. It is only the large supermarkets that carry European (and Israeli)vegetables , mainly sweet peppers and tomatoes as far as I can see.

So if an outbreak did occur here I would expect to see it amongst the high end customers that can afford imported foods.

Much prepared Thai food is rich in sugar, garlic and chilli, all inimical to bacteria, particularly sugar which disrupt the bacterial cell walls. Curries, particularly Indian curries are high in turmeric, another potent antibacterial (and yeast) agents.

The human gut is a battleground between good and bad bacteria, if you are worried give the good bacteria a helping hand with a daily intake of probiotics such as lactobacillus.

[blabla1]

We all wash hands and spray with alcohol mixture before touching food , this is my kitchen law and beware who breaks it!!!! there is so much risk for disease, E.coli, Salmonella, many gastro based, very important after handling meats and some vegetables, i clean my hands,(where possible) before and after toilet use, in tropical lands, i suggest you always carry antiseptic tissues or sprays, brought to you by the clean hands of Happy pizza.... :lol:

[geriatrickid]

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.

Your comment has nothing to do with the e. coli strain that is cutting down the young and healthy in Europe. This variant is antibiotic resistant. I can assure you that it is just as deadly in Thais, Indians, and Fijians as it is in Europeans.

[SabaiBKK]

<br />stop feeding cows corn and ecoli will stop being such a problem. corn as it is fed to cows is not a natural food for cows<br />

<br /><exactly  cows that eat only grass do not produce such high levels ofbacterias ....  it is also important to note that we are everyday in contact with other strains of E.coli and not so long ago the EU did impose a ban on THAI vegetables because of too high levels of bacteria and human feces Edited June 5, 2011 by SabaiBKK

[bushwacker]

"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."

Sounds like they do not have a clue where it came from ..... hihihihihihi

[geriatrickid]

Imported vegetables from Europe are not found in street markets and mobile shops, these carry local grown or Chinese and Australian imports. It is only the large supermarkets that carry European (and Israeli)vegetables , mainly sweet peppers and tomatoes as far as I can see.

So if an outbreak did occur here I would expect to see it amongst the high end customers that can afford imported foods.

Much prepared Thai food is rich in sugar, garlic and chilli, all inimical to bacteria, particularly sugar which disrupt the bacterial cell walls. Curries, particularly Indian curries are high in turmeric, another potent antibacterial (and yeast) agents.

The human gut is a battleground between good and bad bacteria, if you are worried give the good bacteria a helping hand with a daily intake of probiotics such as lactobacillus.

Your hypothesis on the spread of an illness which manifests itself with GI disturbances is not correct. The most important vector during an outbreak of e.coli related disease is human. Humans spread the beastie with their hands. Typical handwashing is not effective and alcohol lotions are not effective in the long run. Successful hand washing requires a vigorous wash as per the public health guidelines; 20 seconds with special attention paid to the backs of the hands, wrists, between the fingers and under the fingernails. Alcohol based hand washes used over time dry out the skin and rob it of the essential oils that act as a natural barrier to bacteria and virus attachment. Garlic, chili, sugar added not foods do not prevent the spread of foodborne disease. Heat is what kills off the bacteria, Heat also modifies the chemcial compounds found in "raw" products such as garlic or chili. This is why the magical health properties of garlic are only effective if consumed raw. Who wants to go around eating raw garlic?

Probiotics are now a popular cure-all touted by folks that haven't the slightest clue as to how the human digestive system works, but read something on the internet pushed by a guy calling himself a doctor, but was really a chirpractor. There is no need for bacteria supplements for those that are healthy and have a balanced diet, Unless someone has undergone intensive antiobiotic treatment or chemotherapy, the flora of the GI tract will take care of itself. Every human's gut flora is unique and develops to meet the needs of the host. It is not bolstered by supplements. rather, a varied diet rich in vegetables, legumes and fruits with a dash of dairy will help maintain the balance.

Edited June 5, 2011 by geriatrickid

[anterian]

Imported vegetables from Europe are not found in street markets and mobile shops, these carry local grown or Chinese and Australian imports. It is only the large supermarkets that carry European (and Israeli)vegetables , mainly sweet peppers and tomatoes as far as I can see.

So if an outbreak did occur here I would expect to see it amongst the high end customers that can afford imported foods.

Much prepared Thai food is rich in sugar, garlic and chilli, all inimical to bacteria, particularly sugar which disrupt the bacterial cell walls. Curries, particularly Indian curries are high in turmeric, another potent antibacterial (and yeast) agents.

The human gut is a battleground between good and bad bacteria, if you are worried give the good bacteria a helping hand with a daily intake of probiotics such as lactobacillus.

Your hypothesis on the spread of an illness which manifests itself with GI disturbances is not correct. The most important vector during an outbreak of e.coli related disease is human. Humans spread the beastie with their hands. Typical handwashing is not effective and alcohol lotions are not effective in the long run. Successful hand washing requires a vigorous wash as per the public health guidelines; 20 seconds with special attention paid to the backs of the hands, wrists, between the fingers and under the fingernails. Alcohol based hand washes used over time dry out the skin and rob it of the essential oils that act as a natural barrier to bacteria and virus attachment. Garlic, chili, sugar added not foods do not prevent the spread of foodborne disease. Heat is what kills off the bacteria, Heat also modifies the chemcial compounds found in "raw" products such as garlic or chili. This is why the magical health properties of garlic are only effective if consumed raw. Who wants to go around eating raw garlic?

Probiotics are now a popular cure-all touted by folks that haven't the slightest clue as to how the human digestive system works, but read something on the internet pushed by a guy calling himself a doctor, but was really a chirpractor. There is no need for bacteria supplements for those that are healthy and have a balanced diet, Unless someone has undergone intensive antiobiotic treatment or chemotherapy, the flora of the GI tract will take care of itself. Every human's gut flora is unique and develops to meet the needs of the host. It is not bolstered by supplements. rather, a varied diet rich in vegetables, legumes and fruits with a dash of dairy will help maintain the balance.

I guess debating with you is like an atheist debating religion with a believer.

Sugar and salt both kill bacteria by osmotic pressure inside the cell membrane, this is why both have been used as food preservatives for centuries. The gut flora is indeed adapted to the person and his food, this is why a sudden change of diet can disrupt the balance, equally the usual food but imported from a different location.

Probiotics have been researched by more than a chiropractor, they have not been claimed to be a cure-all, other than by some makers, they are accepted as an aid to normalising the gut bacteria when it has been stressed.

With regards to hygiene and transmission, most gut bacterial strains are shared in common by a family, indeed the child's gut becomes populated by its mother. So hygiene is most important when eating outside the home environment.

the main problem with E-coli (and also a useful blessing), it that it can readily exchange DNA with other organisms, (one strain is used to produce insulin). This means it has a high mutation rate and many variants.

[lungmi]

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.

Your comment has nothing to do with the e. coli strain that is cutting down the young and healthy in Europe. This variant is antibiotic resistant. I can assure you that it is just as deadly in Thais, Indians, and Fijians as it is in Europeans.

Correction: In Germany most of the deceased are women and specially older women. No children and healthy people. The strain never existed before, it's a "fuc_king" result of a rare strain with an central-african strain. German and Chinese

genomists decrypted the DNS the last days. (Spiegel.de)

[tonytidbury]

"...suspected of suffering from acute diarrhoea." I wonder what the symptoms are?