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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Study fails to find E.coli source | Study fails to find E.coli source |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The source of an E.coli O157 outbreak which left five toddlers at a Fife nursery seriously ill has not been identified, more than a year on. | The source of an E.coli O157 outbreak which left five toddlers at a Fife nursery seriously ill has not been identified, more than a year on. |
| A total of 14 people fell ill at the Careshare Lauder Nursery in Dunfermline, in May 2006. | A total of 14 people fell ill at the Careshare Lauder Nursery in Dunfermline, in May 2006. |
| A report into NHS Fife's response said that despite a "detailed and exhaustive investigation", it was not possible to say what the source was. | A report into NHS Fife's response said that despite a "detailed and exhaustive investigation", it was not possible to say what the source was. |
| The report said it may have resulted from bacteria brought into the centre. | The report said it may have resulted from bacteria brought into the centre. |
| Five children suffered haemolytic uraemic syndrome and nine other people became ill during the incident. | Five children suffered haemolytic uraemic syndrome and nine other people became ill during the incident. |
| They were all subsequently released from hospital. | |
| Potentially deadly | Potentially deadly |
| The privately-run nursery was closed for five weeks for an investigation and was allowed to reopen after cleaning teams disinfected the premises. | The privately-run nursery was closed for five weeks for an investigation and was allowed to reopen after cleaning teams disinfected the premises. |
| Health Protection Scotland (HPS) identified a rare strain of the potentially deadly E.coli 0157 bug, which is most commonly found in the intestines of cattle. | Health Protection Scotland (HPS) identified a rare strain of the potentially deadly E.coli 0157 bug, which is most commonly found in the intestines of cattle. |
| Humans can become infected by eating contaminated food or inadequately cooked meat and dairy products. | |
| It can also be spread through direct contact with animals as well as person-to-person. | It can also be spread through direct contact with animals as well as person-to-person. |
| The initial response by the NHS Fife public health team of the first single case in the nursery was appropriate and consistent with national guidance Report finding | |
| Report author and public health consultant Dr Mike Roworth, said: "Despite detailed and exhaustive investigation, we concluded that it was not possible to say what the source of outbreak was, but the most likely scenario was a single introduction of the bacterium into the Careshare Nursery Lauder, followed by person to person spread." | |
| The report criticised a lack of early notification to the NHS board's public health team by hospital clinicians dealing with the stricken children. | |
| It said: "The public health team reacted in good time to notifications of children with Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS). | |
| "However, hospital clinicians appear not to have notified the public health department as quickly as I would have expected." | |
| The nursery underwent a rigorous inspection | |
| Problems health bosses faced when they tried to contact parents of children at the nursery were also identified in the report. | |
| A total of 115 children were attending the nursery for part or all of the week at the time of the outbreak, along with 27 staff. | |
| The Careshare Lauder Nursery did not have a complete record of addresses, contact numbers or e-mail addresses, investigators found. | |
| The report said the outbreak control team (OCT) - which eventually numbered 40 staff - responded in good time and appropriately to what happened. | |
| 'Full recovery' | |
| No evidence was unearthed by investigators indicating that the outbreak was caused by any negligence on the part of the Careshare company or individual staff members. | |
| Careshare managing director Jonathan Bell said he welcomed the findings. | |
| He said: "Thankfully the children involved in last year's E.coli outbreak have made a full recovery. | |
| "In the time since the outbreak at Lauder Nursery the building has been given a rigorous "deep clean" and the nursery was subject to a detailed investigation and an unannounced inspection by Fife Council environmental services." |