A Rockland Summit High School E. coli outbreak in St. Louis County, Missouri has sickened at least 20 students and parents, according to news reports. The St. Louis County Department of Public Health is investigating the outbreak. Public health officials have confirmed that the school was not the source of the outbreak.
We do not know if this outbreak has been caused by E. coli O157:H7 or another serotype of the bacteria. But some students have had bloody diarrhea, which suggests that this strain is producing Shiga toxins, which kill red blood cells and also damages the intestinal wall.
The Rockwood School District released a statement on November 14, 2024 which reads: “On Nov. 13, Rockwood was notified by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health that several cases of E. Coli affecting students and parents from Rockwood Summit High were suspected to be tied to an off-campus event. We worked with the STLDPH to notify all staff and families of students who attended the event of the suspected cases, what symptoms to look for and if they were to experience symptoms, to contact their health care provider right away.
As an added precaution, we sent additional members of our facilities team to do a deep cleaning that evening at Rockwood Summit High that included spraying classrooms and common areas with special attention to disinfecting all bathrooms and doorknobs. The well-being of our staff and students is always a top priority, and we appreciate the partnership with county health officials to ensure that well-being and safety.”
Symptoms of a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection usually start two to five days after infection. Symptoms include a fever, possible nausea and vomiting, and severe abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. Shiga toxins can also damage the kidneys, in a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which mostly affects children under the age of five. Symptoms of HUS include little to no urine output, easy bruising, lethargy, and pale skin. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible.
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