Toulouse: several children from the same nursery hospitalized, contaminated by E. coli bacteria
The town hall of Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) closed a daycare after the discovery of several cases of infection with Escherichia coli bacteria (E. coli) in children, according to information from France 3 Occitanie. Despite several analyzes in the establishment, the origin of the contamination remains, for the moment, unknown.
The first symptoms appeared on November 10 at the Minimes nursery. The city services, informed, then decided to close the place and warned the parents of the situation. Local authorities then fear significant contamination among young children, but also in the neighboring nursing home, whose residents are regularly in contact with the children in the crèche. Publics particularly at risk from this bacteria.
E. Coli bacteria can “cause serious foodborne illness,” writes the World Health Organization. “In most cases, the disease resolves spontaneously, but it can progress to a potentially fatal form such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), especially in young children and the elderly. »
The source of the contamination still unknown
In Toulouse, some of the children presented cases of infection serious enough to be hospitalized, but currently all have recovered, assures France 3. And the contaminations do not seem to have spread.
Samples were taken from the nursery to identify the source of the bacteria, but nothing has been found so far. The dietary cause was ruled out: the analyzes revealed nothing and the affected children had not eaten the same things. Investigations therefore continue.
Families, children and staff tested negative. The nursery, which has been rigorously cleaned, should reopen its doors on Wednesday.
