EHEC wave in MV: children seriously ill – source of infection sought!

EHEC wave in MV: children seriously ill – source of infection sought!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the increase in Ehec infections since the summer has caused great concern for the health authorities. Recent cases among children have particularly drawn attention. Loud rbb24 27 people are currently affected, including 21 children and young people. Nine of them develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause serious health complications.

The situation is escalating: a sick child from Berlin who was in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is currently being treated in Leipzig. This is not the only worrying case. Four more infections were reported on Tuesday, including children aged one to six. A total of 16 of the 27 affected people are currently hospitalized, all of them in stable condition. Particularly alarming is a 20-month-old boy from the Schwerin area who is receiving intensive medical care due to acute kidney failure and has had no contact with Western Pomerania ndr.de reported.

Search for the source

The health authorities are faced with a challenge: finding the source of the infection is extremely difficult. Although the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is being supported in researching the causes, no clear results have been achieved so far. It is unclear whether all infections were caused by the same pathogen. The surveys so far have remained without clear evidence of a source. A new questionnaire is now intended to optimize the quality of the surveys in order to better record possible risk factors and contacts.

In addition, veterinarians and food inspectors check various sources, but face difficulties because many foods that may have been consumed are no longer available. Hygiene, particularly thorough handwashing and eating washed food, are emphasized as important prevention measures. Those too daily news points out that EHEC bacteria are found in the feces of animals, especially ruminants, and can be easily transmitted through raw or underheated meat.

An alarming review

To understand the scope of the situation, one should also look at the figures from the last few years. In 2024 there were over 130 EHEC cases in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and in 2023 there were at least 80. For comparison: the large EHEC outbreak in Germany in 2011 resulted in around 3,800 illnesses and over 50 deaths, which impressively illustrates the dangers of these pathogens.

With so many new cases among children and young people, the situation is serious. Therefore, health authorities are directing all efforts toward identifying the source of the infections and educating the population about preventative measures. It remains to be cautiously hoped that the situation will stabilize quickly and the children will get well again soon.