Reply to: Mystery of the killer cucumbers

[TimberWolf]

This bad boy is E. coli's worst nightmare:



No, it's not not an Apollo moon lander, it's a Enterobacteria phage T4 and it destroys E. coli in 30 minutes, although most of that time involves producing 300 new moon landers prior to bursting E. coli open. Not sure if this one eats the E. coli O104 strain though.

[TimberWolf]

Well in my little Asia imbiss bude last night I had fried noodles, prawns and bean sprouts and only had to poo twice afterwards (I actually work not too far from where the outbreak is thought to have started) so maybe its not bean sprouts. Tonight I might go for a salad

I was about to say killer salads are safe when cooked, but now I'm not sure. It appears the E. coli O104 bacteria, which is normally harmless in the gut, has picked up some DNA that allows it to produce a toxic protein called Shiga:



This protein is a defence mechanism used by other bugs with whom E. coli O104 has had bacteria sex with. The Shiga toxin is a million times more toxic than Strychnine and I seem to be getting mixed messages about its heat resistance, e.g. at pasteurisation temperatures, at which temperature spores survive, which is why pasteurised milk does go off when spores hatch. No doubt cooking reduces risk greatly though.

[darmstadt]

Well in my little Asia imbiss bude last night I had fried noodles, prawns and bean sprouts and only had to poo twice afterwards (I actually work not too far from where the outbreak is thought to have started) so maybe its not bean sprouts. Tonight I might go for a salad

[OwlHoot]

So, we are back to complete cluelessness.

What random food should we blame next? Anyone have a suggestion?

Or maybe the E coli is in the air

As I said, the only other place this E coli strain has ever been found is Korea.

Bean sprouts are the most likely culprit, as they are grown in tepid water. So maybe it was a batch imported from SE Asia.

[TimberWolf]

Isn't it about time we blamed the French?

[ThomasSoerensen]

So, we are back to complete cluelessness.

What random food should we blame next? Anyone have a suggestion?

Or maybe the E coli is in the air

[xoggoth]

It's Spanish Cucumbers
Hang on, it's not Spanish cucumbers, it's German beans sprouts
No, wait, wait, it's not German beans sprouts it's...........

E coli outbreak: bean sprouts may not be to blame | World news | The Guardian

[doodab]

I make my own bean sprouts at home, easiest thing to do really.

Ms doodab makes her own e. coli

[OwlHoot]

In its own way more frightening than a wild axe murderer.

Practically everyone except the old and infirm recovers from a dose of the runs, unless maybe its cholera.

But very few peopoe survive having an axe embedded in their skull.

[BlasterBates]

False alarm, bean sprouts have the green light.

[TimberWolf]

Goats have never had it so good:

E coli: Farmers want compensation for Spanish cucumber effect | World news | guardian.co.uk

[doodab]

Do you think your recent illness had anything to do with that farm?

I didn't at the time, but that was when innocent cucumbers were being held accountable. I'm pretty sure my beansprouts aren't organic though.

[TimberWolf]

A bit of poetic justice.

Do you think your recent illness had anything to do with that farm?

[doodab]

I bet he's got a red raw arse now.

A bit of poetic justice.

[TimberWolf]

It was an "organic" farmer apparently. He used stagnant rainwater.

I bet he's got a red face now.