Fla: State Probes Kidney Failure In Children After Petting Zoos

[rainbow4321]

http://www.local6.com/news/4309606/detail.html


State and county health officials are investigating the infections, said Bill Toth of the Orange County Health Department. Four children being treated at Florida Hospital Orlando visited zoos at the Central Florida Fair in Orlando, which ended March 13.


A fifth child who visited a petting zoo at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, which also ended March 13, is being treated at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women


The potentially dangerous kidney condition - hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS - is a rare complication arising from an initial infection most commonly associated with E. coli, a bacterium found in undercooked beef or contaminated food.


But Toth said not all the children are showing signs of E. coli exposure, and investigators are running fresh samples through additional tests. Officials said three of the children have tested positive for a different bacterium - Staphylococcus aureus - that can sometimes lead to the kidney problem.

[ChickMagic]

1. They need to wash their hands

before putting them in their mouths. And before eating anything. I'm not sure Purell would do the trick, but parents need to watch out for that.

[knitter4democracy]

5. Purell's just as effective.

There was a study in the New England Journal in the last few months on that, and they found that using Purell or something like it is just as effective as hand washing. There have been a couple of studies, actually.

If there's lots of muck, dirt, or whatever on the hands, get the kids to the bathroom to wash, though. You're right on that.

[Coventina]

2. E. Coli? Could've been something they ate

Fair food is downright scary, IMHO.

[HereSince1628]

3. Anyone know what the ages of the kids are?

HUS was considered a more common complication in preschoolers back when I was doing epi. with the state of WI.

[rainbow4321]

4. 2-6 yr olds..two on dialysis, another on ventilator

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/11205159.htm

Both fairs had one exhibit in common - the Ag-Venture Farm Tour, which is described on a Web site as an "interactive farm-animal exhibit" that offers "hands-on experience milking cows, bottle-feeding calves, gathering eggs (and) caring for the goats

Dixit said the first sick child came into Florida Hospital on Friday, and doctors became concerned when a second child was admitted with the kidney problem on Sunday. By Tuesday, the hospital had two more cases in children ranging from 2 to 6 years of age.

One child's kidney function has deteriorated to the point of requiring dialysis, and Dixit said the youngster is also on a ventilator.

Ramirez said the child who remains at Arnold Palmer also is undergoing dialysis.

[doodadem]

6. We vaccinate our pet pygmy goat

and Brahma steer (when he'll stand for it) every year for botulism (Clostridium vac.) They are notorious for picking it up in the dirt from eating off the ground. Never heard of it transferring to humans, but I could see little kids feeding the animals (lick, lick) and then going and eating a hotdog without washing their hands.

[Trajan]

7. Easy to understand chain-of-transmission ...

1) Animal poos on ground ....

2) Animal then sleeps on ground ....

3) Child then pets animal ...

4) Child gets animal poo on hands ....

5) Child places hands in mouth or eyes or nose ...

I can see this as viable ....