Euro officials fear deadly E. coli outbreak in transition phase

European health officials have new reason to worry about the lethal strain of E. coli bacteria affecting fresh sprouts.

According to a report from Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy at University of Minnesota, the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is worried about a cluster of infections at a German school.

Among the 30 children infected with the E. coli O104:H4 bacteria, 22 showed asymptomatic symptoms of the virus. Several staff members at the school also showed asymptomatic infections. Asymptomatic infections often show little or no sign of infection but the virus remains dormant in the victim, making them carriers of the bacteria.

To date, there have been nearly 4,000 reports of infections from the E. coli O104:H4 virus. About 800 victims have suffered from a life-threatening condition known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and 44 deaths have been linked to the outbreak.

The school where the cluster was located was closed late last month as officials feared the E. coli infection would spread. Several of the staff members with asymptomatic infection worked in the school’s kitchen.

German officials are also investigating other potential clusters of asymptomatic infections at other schools. They fear if these infections are not detected and treated, it’s likely the spread of the deadly O104:H4 virus will continue.

The emergence of asymptomatic infections suggests the outbreak is in a “transition phase,” according to the CIDRAP report. That increases the threat of an outbreak from beyond contaminated sprouts.