A THREE year old child has died in Dublin in recent days from complications of an illness caused by the bacteria E coli.
The Eastern Health Board says there are no reports of any further cases associated with the incident. But, as a precaution, any contacts the child had before getting ill are being checked out. Initial investigations have all been negative.
The child died in Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, at the weekend. The EHB was informed of the death and the results of tests at the hospital confirmed E coli infection.
Dr Darina O'Flanagan, a specialist in public health medicine at the EHB, has assured the public that investigations by local environmental health officers and the director of community care suggested that this was an isolated incident.
The EHB said the child had been attending a pre school nursery. While the nursery was not in any way implicated in the infection, the EHB, as a precautionary measure, was checking the children who went there and suggested that children should not attend the preschool until all investigations had proved negative.
Relatives and others who may have been in contact with children at the nursery were also being checked in a precautionary move as the bacteria can be spread from person to person.
E coli is a bacteria which causes a range of diseases in humans, causing complications in the bowel and kidney. It presents itself initially with diarrhoea and vomiting. In to per cent of cases, this form of food poisoning may be associated with kidney failure and disorder of blood cells.
Food and water borne outbreaks, as well as person to person spread have been reported, with infected cattle the main reservoir of infections, according to the EHB.
The first case of E coli infection in Ireland was reported in two children in November 1995.
The EHB has urged people to ensure that all meat products are fully cooked. It warned that this was especially important for products containing minced beef. Care should be taken when using knives or plates with uncooked meats and these should not be used subsequently for cooked food. Unpasteurised milk is also a potential source.
"Vulnerable groups, such as children or the elderly or those whose immunity is poor, should certainly ensure that they avoid unpasteurised milk and that all meat products (hamburgers/beef burgers) are well cooked.
"Person to person spread can be avoided by good hand hygiene, educating children that they should always wash their hands after visits to the toilet and always before eating," said the EHB spokeswoman.