The San Francisco Chronicle reports that 15 people who visited agricultural fairs in Florida may be infected with E. coli O157:H7. While some developed bloody diarrhea, nine children developed life-threatening kidney disease known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Petting zoos are suspected to be the source of the E. coli infection, but this connection has not been confirmed.

A Japanese friend once told me that it was not wise to take toddlers to the zoo. Maybe this is what she was referring to. On top of bird flu, we’re not going anywhere near the Ho Chi Minh City zoo for the time being.

The virulent bacteria strain, known as E. coli 0157:H7, lives in the gut of cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminants and can be picked up by petting or nuzzling them, or simply touching one’s shoes after walking through manure.
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There have been previous outbreaks associated with petting zoos, notably one at the North Carolina State Fair last year, in which 180 people were reported sick and 15 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.
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Many petting zoos have hand-washing stations or staff members who squirt liquid sanitizer on visitors’ hands. However, those measures were used in North Carolina, and some children became infected anyway, the state Health Department said. Children who sat or fell on the ground were five times more likely to have been infected.

The disease is most dangerous to children under 5 and the elderly and can be transmitted in many settings, Agwunobi said, including pony rides, rodeos, livestock displays, milking demonstrations, hayrides and pig races.

Bloody diarrhea is the most common first sign, followed by lethargy and failure to produce normal amounts of urine.
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Many other dangerous bacteria are found on petting animals and poultry. Snakes, for example, often have salmonella on their skins, and animal feces may contain campylobacter, shigella, giardia and cryptosporidium.

Young animals and birds — often handed to children because they are cute — are the most likely to transmit infections, according to CDC guidelines.

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