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| The exterior of a kindergarten in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, where its pupils have complained of food poisoning symptoms, in this June 25 photo. Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), sometimes referred to as "hamburger disease," is a life-threatening condition that damages the kidneys.
HUS was first recognized in the United States in 1982, when a large number of people presented with symptoms of severe and bloody diarrhea which was traced to contaminated hamburger patties. It was later found to be contaminated with enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli (EHEC).
EHEC causes damage to the colon's mucous membrane, resulting in symptoms of bloody diarrhea and serious abdominal pain as it destroys the body's clotting cells. This causes thrombocytopenia, affecting red blood cells and causing hemolytic anemia. The destruction of these cells causes a buildup in the small blood vessels and tubules of the kidneys. The resulting damage to the kidneys leads to renal failure. HUS usually affects children between the ages of 1 to 10 years, but can also occur in adults.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the number of people infected with the strain of E. coli bacteria in connection to a kindergarten in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, reached 58. The KCDC has been investigating the disease outbreak since a student of the kindergarten showed symptoms of the disease, June 12.
Among 21 hospitalized patients, 16 people, including 14 children, have symptoms of HUS, with four of them undergoing renal dialysis. Following the outbreak, President Moon Jae-in ordered the strengthening of inspections of meals served at preschools and daycare centers across the country, June 26.
Considering the seriousness of the outbreak among children here, Moon has asked the relevant authorities to "go beyond simple administrative procedures."
Prevention
The illness is so serious that it requires dialysis treatment and potentially blood transfusion in more advanced cases. To prevent the disease, people are strongly advised not to eat raw food. Especially to avoid raw fish and raw beef; and when eating meat, it should be well cooked.
Untreated, HUS may cause intestinal hemorrhaging that can lead to death if not properly treated. However, kidney dialysis, which is a treatment that takes over the role of the human kidneys when the organs are compromised, can help patients recover.
"The problem is that there are not many hospitals here that can perform dialysis for young children, who have been the most affected here, so the treatment can be delayed," said Ha Il-soo, professor of pediatrics at Seoul National University Hospital.
"The infrequency of pediatric renal failure cases and the extremely low insurance coverage of dialysis for children is something we must solve for the sake of their healthy lives," Ha said.
He also pointed out that children who have suffered severe kidney damage to the point of requiring dialysis can relapse and become chronic kidney disease even if they have recovered. It is necessary for children with acute renal injury to receive treatment from a pediatric nephrologist over a period of years, even after they have recovered.
"In addition, I would like to urge parents with children under 10 not to feed them raw fish and raw beef. Even when you grill meat, make sure that it is fully cooked to the core," he said.
In the past, a mass outbreak of HUS became widely known after some cases where those who had eaten hamburgers that that were not fully cooked, but mincemeat is not the only cause of infection. Any food could potentially be contaminated via kitchen utensils that have been exposed to the bacteria.
"Also, children should avoid drinking water that is not boiled or purified, which could possibly be contaminated."
Likewise, experts said school meals for children under 10 years of age need special attention as well.
"Food culture varies from country to country. Even if it takes time, we expect the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Pediatric Society to come up with more detailed guidelines regarding food safety for children in Korea," he added.
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