Popularity of petting farms and salads raises E.coli rates

March 14, 2017

Some hospitals have reported a near doubling of e-coli rates in the last year
Experts say the bacteria may becoming more resistant to antibodies
The bug can be fatal to young children and the elderly

Sophie Borland Health Editor For The Daily Mail

Published:
21:12 EDT, 13 March 2017

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Updated:
04:28 EDT, 14 March 2017

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Scientists say the bug is becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics

Soaring numbers of patients are succumbing to a potentially deadly superbug caught from salad leaves and petting farms, official figures reveal.

Rates of e-coli have jumped by 7 per cent in a year although some hospitals have reported a near doubling.

The bug can be fatal – particularly for young children and the elderly – and it is found in the guts of many animals.

It can be passed on by eating contaminated salad or fruit, cheese and meats as well as from stroking animals at farms or zoos.

The bug – whose full name is Escherichia coli – usually causes stomach pain but can lead to a form of kidney failure called haemolytic uraemic syndrome, which is sometimes fatal.

Experts say the rise in infections may be due to the fact that the bacteria is becoming stronger and more resistant to antibiotics.

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But they are also worried that NHS officials have taken their eyes of the ball from trends in e-coli as they have been so focused on driving down the superbugs MRSA and C difficile.

The Government has promised to halve the numbers of the main superbugs by 2020 but the latest data suggests they will miss this target.

Figures from Public Health England analysed by the Health Service Journal show cases of e coli have increased from 35,764 in 2014/15 to 38,132 in 2015/16.

A sign outside a petting farm. Farms like these are being partly blamed for the rapid rise in e-coli rates

But 60 hospital trusts – a third – have reported increases of at least 10 per cent in the last year.

They include Yeovil District Hospital where cases have risen from 109 in 2014/15 to 193 in 2015/16.

John Illingworth, Improvement Fellow at the Health Foundation think tank, suggested the Government had been overly focused on reducing infections caught in hospital, which include MRSA and C Difficile.

‘The Government’s plans seem to focus primarily on hospitals, when we know that the majority of E coli cases are acquired in the community.’ He said.

‘So a more joined up, whole system approach will be needed in order to make significant progress, tackling causes in the community as well as in hospitals.’