HSE investigates toddlers’ illnesses

The Mid-West Health Service Executive is carrying out an investigation after two West Clare toddlers contracted serious digestive system infections.

 

Within days of each other, the children contracted the condition, which often occurs after a gastrointestinal infection with E coli bacteria.

Hemolyic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) has also been linked to other gastrointestinal infection. At its worst, it can lead to kidney failure in children. It is understood that no definitive cause of HUS has been determined by doctors in these two cases.

One of the young children was recently bathing at White Strand, Doonbeg, while the other was paddling in the water at Cappa, Kilrush. However, no link has been established with these bathing areas and the virus contacted by the children.
Water-borne transmission of HUS occurs from contaminated drinking water and from swimming in contaminated recreational waters.

According to a close relative, the two-and- a-half-year-old girl was extremely sick and was taken to University Hospital, Limerick on Friday, July 26. After spending two nights there, she was transferred to Temple Street Hospital where she was treated for 16 nights and was recently transferred for more treatment to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. Family members are hoping the girl will be discharged later this week once her treatment is complete.

The other toddler, who was treated in Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, has been discharged. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals, verocytotoxigenic escherichia coli (VTEC) strains produce a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness.

The HSE has confirmed an incident team reviewed recent Clare cases and stressed it reviews and investigates all individual VTEC cases to check for possible linkages.
“All were found to have different types of VTEC and, following investigation, no common source has been identified. In the course of the investigation, environmental investigations may point to individual risk factors and, where appropriate, specific interventions to limit exposure may be recommended.

“The HSE recently alerted all GPs and relevant hospital consultants about the increasing numbers and requested their co-operation in investigating all possible cases. In a situation where a common source is confirmed, this may require dissemination of information or an alert to the public,” the HSE stated.

Clare County Council has confirmed it erected signage advising the public not to bathe or play in the vicinity of the culverts at White Strand, Doonbeg after it was informed of a potential issue involving the bathing water on August 1.
There is a notice displayed at the stream in Spanish Point already. As a precautionary measure, plans are already underway to erect an additional sign at Spanish Point. As a further measure, a sign will also be erected at the White Strand, Miltown Malbay to warn the public not to bathe or play in the stream.

The council subsequently carried out bathing water quality tests at all of its 12 bathing areas in accordance with the EPA’s requirements, which focus on water quality within designated bathing areas.

“Test results showed that bathing water quality at each location was well within the required Irish Bathing Water standards. In addition, water quality tests of drinking water supplies in Doonbeg, Danganelly and Cooraclare were conducted. None of the drinking water supply samples had any bacterial contamination,” the council stated.

The council added it has not been informed of any incidence of infectious disease involving bathing or drinking water in East Clare.