Risk to kids from calves highlighted

A severely-ill Taranaki child needed hospital treatment for a life-threatening infection linked to calves, even before the peak season for the disease began.

Taranaki has one of the country’s highest rates of the illness, which causes severe gastroenteritis and sometimes life threatening kidney complications in young children, Taranaki DHB’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr Jonathan Jarman said in a statement.

‘‘Taranaki has high rates of Shiga toxin producing E.coli (STEC), also known as Verotoxin producing E.coli (VTEC). Young children on farms with cattle are at high risk of catching this disease, with nearly half of cases ending up in hospital.’’

August through to October is the peak season for STEC/VTEC, with the main symptoms being watery diarrhoea, blood in the diarrhoea, severe stomach pains and vomiting.

‘‘Young children with STEC illness are more likely to get a severe complication called Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS) which could damage their kidneys. On average we get a child with this complication once a year in Taranaki,’’ Jarman said.

‘‘We’ve already had one case in April where a very sick child ended up needing further treatment in Auckland.’’

Anyone showing signs of the STEC infection should see a doctor or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 before taking any medication as some may even make it worse, he said.

The disease was first seen in New Zealand in 1993 and has been increasing over the past decade.

Animal waste was the main source of infection, but the toxin producing bacteria were also in places contaminated with animal waste such as muddy puddles, drinking troughs, farm clothing and footwear, and in dogs and other farm animals going inside a house. One of the best ways to prevent infection is regular hand washing before eating, after helping out on a farm and after touching animals.