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Verotoxinogenic Citrobacter freundii associated with severe gastroenteritis and cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome in a nursery school: green butter as the infection source

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

H. Tschäpe ,
R. Prager ,
W. Streckel ,
A. Fruth ,
E. Tietze  and
G. Böhme
H. Tschäpe
Affiliation:
Robert Koch Instiut, Bereich Wernigerode; Burgstrasse 37, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
R. Prager
Affiliation:
Robert Koch Instiut, Bereich Wernigerode; Burgstrasse 37, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
W. Streckel
Affiliation:
Robert Koch Instiut, Bereich Wernigerode; Burgstrasse 37, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
A. Fruth
Affiliation:
Robert Koch Instiut, Bereich Wernigerode; Burgstrasse 37, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
E. Tietze
Affiliation:
Robert Koch Instiut, Bereich Wernigerode; Burgstrasse 37, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
G. Böhme
Affiliation:
Microbiological Laboratory, Ernst-Pörner-Strasse 6, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
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Summary

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A summer outbreak of severe gastroenteritis followed by haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in a nursery school and kindergarten is described. Sandwiches prepared with green butter made with contaminated parsley were the likely vehicle of infection. The parsley originated from an organic garden in which manure of pig origin was used instead of artificial fertilizers, Cornally identical Verotoxinogenic Citrobacter freundii were found as causative agents of HUS and gastroenteritis and were also detected on the parsley.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 114 , Issue 3 , June 1995 , pp. 441 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

References

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