New York Times: Toddler Dies From E. Coli Linked to Contact With Animals at San Diego County Fair

Four children ages 2-13 who visited the San Diego County fair in June exhibited symptoms of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The two-year-old died from complications of the bacteria, and the others were sickened. Emergency physician Dr. Robert Glatter from Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan explained that the most common route of contamination was the fecal-oral route. With more than 2,900 animals, the fair proved to be an ideal environment for the bacteria to spread. Young children touch surfaces or animals contaminated with E. coli and then put it in their mouth. To prevent E. coli infection is easy, one should wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. For the full article on E. coli infections, click here