Following an increase in detected cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in Victoria, Burnet Institute Chief Health Officer Associate Professor Suman Majumdar explains how the bacteria can spread, the potential health risks and how people can reduce their risk when in contact with animals.
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or STEC, is a type of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and, in rare cases, serious complications.
STEC can be carried by healthy farm animals, including cattle, sheep and goats, without causing illness in the animals themselves. This means people can potentially be exposed through direct contact with animals or contaminated environments.
“While many gastrointestinal infections will resolve, STEC has the potential to cause very serious illness, particularly in young children. It can cause severe abdominal symptoms and bloody diarrhoea, and in a small proportion of cases the Shiga toxin produced by the bacteria can lead to haemolytic uraemic syndrome, or HUS. This can cause kidney failure and in severe cases, damage other organs, including the brain. Most people will recover fully, but a small number may have lasting effects.
“Young children are particularly vulnerable, so symptoms such as bloody diarrhoea, reduced urine output, unusual bruising, marked lethargy or a child becoming increasingly unwell should prompt medical assessment.
“The cases we’re seeing are a reminder that infections which may initially look like a relatively common gastro illness can, in rare circumstances, become serious.”
“Bacteria such as STEC can be carried naturally by healthy farm animals, particularly cattle, sheep and goats, without making those animals sick.
“The bacteria can be present in animal faeces and therefore potentially in the surrounding environment. When children are patting animals, touching fences or other surfaces and then putting their hands near their mouth, there is an opportunity for transmission.
“For young children in particular, who naturally explore their environment with their hands and frequently put their fingers in their mouths, it can be difficult to eliminate that exposure completely. That’s why good prevention measures are so important.”
“The most important thing is really quite simple: good hand hygiene. People should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and running water after touching animals or being in an animal enclosure, and always before eating or drinking.
“With young children, close supervision is important. Try to prevent them putting their fingers in their mouths while they’re around animals, and avoid taking things such as dummies and toys into animal-contact areas because they can also become contaminated.
“Food and drinks should be kept away from animal areas, and anything that falls on the ground should be cleaned.
“We don’t want people to be frightened of interacting with animals. It’s about understanding that there is an inherent infection risk when humans and animals interact, and putting straightforward, evidence-based measures in place to reduce that risk.”
