A child dies, E. coli trace, butcher shops closed: what we know about the 18 cases of food poisoning in Aisne

The number of victims continues to rise. Eighteen cases of severe food poisoning among children have now been reported in the Aisne department, Health Minister Yannick Neuder announced on Sunday, June 22, during a press briefing outside the Saint-Quentin hospital. Among them, a 12-year-old child has died.

On Wednesday, June 18, the prefecture announced that seven cases of severe food poisoning had been recorded in the same area including the town of Saint-Quentin and its surrounding areas.

Among these cases is a 12-year-old girl who contracted hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and did not survive. According to Public Health France , this is a "primarily renal complication of Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections (...) which can be transmitted through food, a contaminated environment, person-to-person transmission...". These cases are "rare, but serious," with "100 to 160 cases" recorded per year.

The other six infected children presented with severe digestive symptoms, including bloody diarrhea, three of whom developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. The number of reported cases increased in the following days, reaching 18 cases by Sunday evening.

As a precaution, authorities have ordered the closure of several establishments believed to be linked to these food poisoning incidents. Four butcher shops and two supermarket departments, all located in the Saint-Quentin metropolitan area, have been closed so far.

Samples were also taken in these establishments in an attempt to determine the origin of these food poisonings.

The decision to suspend these butcher shops "was taken on the basis of investigations conducted into the consumption of each of the poisoned people," explained the prefecture, stressing that "at this stage, the most likely cause of the contamination is the consumption of meat."

The reopening of these establishments will be "conditional on the results of the investigations and the reassuring evolution of the epidemiological situation."

According to the latest report, dated Sunday, 18 children have been infected. Among them, eight are still hospitalized in Lille, Saint-Quentin, Reims, and Amiens, six of whom are on dialysis due to hemolytic uremic syndrome.

The children currently receiving dialysis are aged "from one and a half years to approximately 12-13 years old," said Minister Yannick Neuder.

Several children's health has improved, "after rehydration" and "identification of the bacteria" and have been able to "return home and lead normal lives," the Minister of Health said.

The 18 sick children identified have "contracted a bacterium called Escherichia coli ," the Health Minister announced on Sunday.

The bacteria is "naturally present in our digestive microflora" and "most" of its strains are "harmless" to humans, according to ANSES . However, some strains "can cause infections or carry antibiotic resistance genes," including E. coli.

The exact origin of the contamination is still unknown. However, health authorities believe, after an initial series of analyses, that it is "probably a foodborne infection of meat." A "second type of analysis" is to be carried out this week at the Pasteur Institute "to continue the investigation and establish a causal link," said Yannick Neuder, while the identified butcher shops do not have a common supplier, the prefecture told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Due to these contaminations, the Hauts-de-France Regional Health Agency called on June 20, in its latest bulletin, to "no longer consume food purchased" in butcher shops closed "as a precaution."

"The idea is not at all to cause psychosis," the Minister of Health emphasizes, however. It is still possible to "eat meat. That's not the point," he assures.

The food has been withdrawn from sale in the affected establishments and a recall has also been carried out for all products sold since June 1, according to the ARS.

Customers who have consumed meat from establishments that have been administratively closed, including the La Direction butcher shop on Boulevard Henri Martin and the Family butcher shop at 3 bis Boulevard Gambetta, both in Saint-Quentin, are advised to monitor for symptoms. "If you notice that your child has bloody diarrhea, call 15," also recommends the ARS , which reminds us that it is essential to wash your hands before each meal, wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly, and cook meat thoroughly to avoid contamination.