Advice on farm poisoning hazard

Farm animals can spread disease

The Chief Medical Officer has issued hygiene advice to reduce the risk that children will be infected with the E. coli bug during farm visits.

The advice, from Professor Liam Donaldson, follows a warning from one of the UK's leading experts on food poisoning that young children should stay away from farms, where there is a risk they will pick up the infection from animals.

Professor Hugh Pennington, who spearheaded the inquiry into the E.coli outbreak which claimed 21 lives in Scotland three years ago, told the BBC in February that children under five were most at risk of contracting the deadly E. coli 0157 bug.

Professor Pennington's comments followed an out of court settlement made to the family of a six-year-old boy who suffered severe brain damage after contracting E. coli on a farm visit.

Tom Dowling became infected during a trip to Bowman's Open Farm in Hertfordshire in 1997, during a school trip.

He nearly died as a result of the bug and now cannot move his arms or legs and can only communicate through blinking.

Professor Liam Donaldson issued the advice

Professor Donaldson is advising parents, teachers and children to take sensible precautions during farm visits.

He said: "There is a seasonal increase in the number of cases of E. coli O157 infection, and there is a link between farm visits and infection in young children.

"This means that some simple and sensible precautions should be taken."

Professor Donaldson advised the following precautions:

• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly after touching an animal
• Do not eat or drink anything at all while going round the farm
• Only eat when well away from the animals and after thoroughly washing your hands
• Do not put your face against an animal
• Do not put your hands in your mouth after touching an animal
• Do not touch animal droppings
• Wash and dry your hands immediately if you do
• Clean your shoes when you leave the farm, and then wash your hands thoroughly

Professor Donaldson farmers had a responsibility to ensure that hand washing and drying facilities are available and are suitably located, that picnic areas are separate and clean, and that all other Health and Safety law is fully observed.

E. coli 0157 causes a range of illnesses, from mild non-bloody diarrhoea to haemorrhagic colitis.

A third of those infection are admitted to hospital, and nearly 4% die.

Young children are particularly susceptible to developing kidney failure following infection.

There have been eight outbreaks associated with farm visits between 1994 and 1999.