ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

People in Ireland are being advised to take extra care when handling and preparing food following an increase in the number of VTEC (Ecoli) infections in recent weeks.

The hot weather is being blamed for the fact that around 96 cases have been reported in the country over the past two weeks - more than three times the number during the same period last year.

And a crèche in County Galway has been forced to close after two children were hospitalised in an Ecoli outbreak.

"This hot weather provides the right conditions for bacteria such as VTEC to grow and multiply on foods which can lead to high numbers of cases of food poisoning in adults and children," said Dr Kevin Kelleher, Ireland's Health Service Executive's assistant national director for health protection.

"Not washing the hands after handling raw meat, not washing fruits and vegetables and undercooking minced meats such as beefburgers are common ways of getting food poisoning at this time of year."

The symptoms of VTEC infections usually pass within 5-10 days and include bloody diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. However, in up to 10 per cent of cases more serious complications can occur which can lead to kidney failure or even death.

The HSE's multidisciplinary Outbreak Control Team is investigating the source of the infection at the Galway crèche where a third child has also been diagnosed with the infection..

According to experts, VTEC can be contracted in a number of ways including through contact with infected animals, contaminated soil, water or foods. It can also be spread among toddlers who are not toilet trained.