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Dangerous strain of E. coli identified in seven patients in UK
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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A dangerous strain of E. coli, which has already killed 18 people in Europe, has been identified in seven patients in the UK, the Associated Press reported on Thursday, citing the UK Health Protection Agency.
As noted in the department's report, all infected people recently returned from a trip to Germany, where the majority of cases of infection were registered.
The agency does not provide more detailed information, in particular about which regions of the country cases of infection were detected, and when the sick people visited Germany.
At the same time, as emphasized in the report, British specialists do not yet have data on where the source of the infection was - inside the country or was brought in from outside.
The intestinal infection, which has killed 17 people in Germany and one in Sweden, is caused by the so-called enterohemorrhagic bacterium Escherichia coli. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), E. coli is often found in the intestines of humans and warm-blooded animals. Most strains are harmless, but some strains, such as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), can cause severe foodborne illness. The outbreak was initially recorded in northern Germany.
Symptoms of the disease caused by EHEC bacteria include bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Most patients recover within ten days, but a small number of patients (young children and the elderly) can develop severe, life-threatening illness. As of Thursday, more than 1,500 cases had been recorded.
Enterohemorrhagic escherichiosis in children. Causes. Symptoms. Diagnosis. Treatment
The source of the infection remains unclear. Previously, German scientists assumed that the carrier of the pathogen was salad cucumbers from Spain, but this information was not confirmed. Farmers report weekly losses in the amount of tens of millions of euros, scientists continue to search for the carrier of the infection.
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