MONROE - The second outbreak of E. coli bacteria in Green County this year is winding down, according to state and county health officials, who are wrapping up to report on some of the unusual aspects of the cases.
Only two children of the nine people who were identified as having been infected with E. coli O157 since Sunday, Oct. 9 remain unable to return to school. Children who were infected must have two negative stool samples for the bacteria before they are allowed to return to the classrooms.
Green County health officials have received no further reports of confirmed cases of E. coli O157 since Thursday, Nov. 3.
On Thursday, Nov. 10, Green County Health Department Director RoAnn Warden reported seven children were still shedding the bacteria 30 days after their tests were confirmed positive by state labs.
"It is interesting how long the E. coli was being shed by individuals - longer than we normally expected, based on scientific studies of other cases," she said.
Warden said three weeks is normally what health officials expect to find for the E. coli shedding time period; but in Green County some children are taking five or six weeks to attain negative test results. Reinfection is not a cause of the prolonged end to the shedding, she added.
Other characteristics of the local outbreaks Warden noted were the young ages of most of the victims and household transmissions.
The outbreaks in Green County are leading Warden and state health department officials to collaborate on a report of the cases, which can be shared with other health departments.
"Even the CDC (Center for Disease Control) is interested to hear what we have experienced," she added.
An earlier outbreak of nine confirmed cases between July and September this year resulted in the death of one child, as a result of complications related to the bacterial infection. The origin of the infection has not been found.
The experience "shows the importance of hand washing in the prevention of diseases, and we need to focus on keeping our children in the practice," Warden said.
The two outbreaks in the county "was an experience we didn't want to have," but they tested the county's response system, and "we are prepared," Julio Rodriguez, chairman of the Green County Health Committee said on Thursday, Nov. 10.
The county's system, according to Warden, is joint cooperation between officials at the local health department, school districts, Monroe Clinic infection control unit, and Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Bureau of Communicable Disease, who met in person or by phone to develop a procedure of testing and follow-up. Warden said a phone conference with the national CDC in Atlanta, Ga., was also part of the actions taken by local officials.
Only two children of the nine people who were identified as having been infected with E. coli O157 since Sunday, Oct. 9 remain unable to return to school. Children who were infected must have two negative stool samples for the bacteria before they are allowed to return to the classrooms.
Green County health officials have received no further reports of confirmed cases of E. coli O157 since Thursday, Nov. 3.
On Thursday, Nov. 10, Green County Health Department Director RoAnn Warden reported seven children were still shedding the bacteria 30 days after their tests were confirmed positive by state labs.
"It is interesting how long the E. coli was being shed by individuals - longer than we normally expected, based on scientific studies of other cases," she said.
Warden said three weeks is normally what health officials expect to find for the E. coli shedding time period; but in Green County some children are taking five or six weeks to attain negative test results. Reinfection is not a cause of the prolonged end to the shedding, she added.
Other characteristics of the local outbreaks Warden noted were the young ages of most of the victims and household transmissions.
The outbreaks in Green County are leading Warden and state health department officials to collaborate on a report of the cases, which can be shared with other health departments.
"Even the CDC (Center for Disease Control) is interested to hear what we have experienced," she added.
An earlier outbreak of nine confirmed cases between July and September this year resulted in the death of one child, as a result of complications related to the bacterial infection. The origin of the infection has not been found.
The experience "shows the importance of hand washing in the prevention of diseases, and we need to focus on keeping our children in the practice," Warden said.
The two outbreaks in the county "was an experience we didn't want to have," but they tested the county's response system, and "we are prepared," Julio Rodriguez, chairman of the Green County Health Committee said on Thursday, Nov. 10.
The county's system, according to Warden, is joint cooperation between officials at the local health department, school districts, Monroe Clinic infection control unit, and Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Bureau of Communicable Disease, who met in person or by phone to develop a procedure of testing and follow-up. Warden said a phone conference with the national CDC in Atlanta, Ga., was also part of the actions taken by local officials.