Two nursery children have E.coli

E.coli can cause diarrhoea and stomach cramps

Two children who attended a nursery have contracted E.coli, it has emerged.

They attended the Park Lane Day Nursery in Welshpool, Powys, before they became ill with the 0157 strain this month.

Neither child - whose ages have not been released - is being treated in hospital and it is not known if the cases are linked.

The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHSW) began screening the 50 children and staff at the nursery on Friday, but the business remains open.

It comes almost three years after a five-year-old boy died and more than 150 people became ill in an E.coli 0157 outbreak in the nearby south Wales valleys.

The autumn 2005 outbreak of E.coli 0157 began after contaminated meat was used in school dinners.

We get sporadic cases every year in Wales... but because of the significance of the illness we don't take any risks Marion Lyons, lead consultant in communicable disease control

That led to a public inquiry called by the Welsh Assembly Government, which heard evidence over several months this year.

Officials were alerted to the first case of E.coli at the Powys nursery on 9 June by a laboratory report and the second case was identified, said an NPHSW spokeswoman.

The local health protection team went into the nursery on Friday, where all children and staff were screened.

No-one can return to the nursery until two negative tests in a 48-hour period, but officials cannot say when the second test will be carried out because it depends on when the first results come back, which could be on Monday.

Marion Lyons, the NPHSW lead consultant in communicable disease control, said there was no firm evidence the cases were related in way other than through the nursery, but officials would ensure no other child there was at risk.

"We always take E.coli 0157 seriously," she said.

Untreated water

"We get sporadic cases every year in Wales: somewhere between 30 to 50. But because of the significance of the illness - a significant number of children can end up in hospital on dialysis and unfortunately some may die - we don't take any risks.

"So every case we thoroughly investigate and we exclude children with infection where it's necessary to do so.

"I would say to parents that this infection is rare. It is more common in rural communities where children are exposed to farm animals, perhaps to unpasteurised milk or untreated water.

"If their children have diarrhoeal illnesses they should always make sure that they are well hydrated, that if there's any evidence of deterioration or any blood in the stool that they always seek help immediately and that they maintain very good hygiene in the home."

But she said officials were not concerned that this was part of a bigger outbreak.

Consultant in communicable disease control Mac Walapu said parents had been kept fully informed and a meeting with staff from Powys Council's environmental health department had been arranged.

Symptoms of E.coli 0157 can range from mild diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever to bloody diarrhoea.

The incubation period can range from one to 14 days, but is usually three to four days, and people with E.coli 0157 are usually ill for up to two weeks.