2024-02-12 11:09:47
A 7-year-old girl and an 18-month-old baby have been hospitalized since last December for serious poisoning with Escherichia coli bacteria (E.coli). They are both from the Rhône, but not related.
The two girls were both poisoned following consuming raw milk morbier. This cheese had been the subject of several recalls. In total, eleven children have been infected to date.
Provence takes stock of what we know.
A kidney transplant planned for a 7-year-old girl
Since December, Elise, 7 years old, has been hospitalized in Lyon. The young girl was placed in an artificial coma and her vital prognosis was compromised. She is still in serious condition today, according to BFMTV.
“She was woken up on December 31, because the tests were rather positive, but she still has not recovered the functions of her kidneys. The chances are more and more slim for her to get them back“, the father of the child testified to our colleagues. A kidney transplant is being considered.
An 18-month-old child placed in a coma
Still in the Rhône, another child is affected by the E.coli bacteria. Clara, 18 months old, had consumed morbier on December 19. She was placed in an artificial coma for 25 days, her parents explained to France 2.
“She is slowly recovering, but we are unable to tell us what the neurological consequences will be.“, explained his mother.
Today, the little girl is awake, but still has kidney pain and her left hand remains paralyzed.
Eleven children suffering from HUS
In total, eleven children have been identified as suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) since the end of last year. The common point is that they carry the E.coli bacteria and the same strain.
According to Santé Publique France, 5 of these 11 children were infected in the same daycare at the end of 2023.
Recalls of many cheeses
The two hospitalizations followed consumption of morbier, a raw milk cheese, purchased in a supermarket. This variety has been the subject of numerous product recalls, at the heart of a very long list.
The official Consumer Recall website had, last December and January, recalled numerous cheeses due to a risk of the presence of the E.coli bacteria. Among them, several morbier references, but also raclette cheese or goat cheese platters.
This bacteria is often at the heart of product recalls and does not only concern dairy products, meat or fish are also regularly prohibited for consumption due to the presence of Escherichia coli.
Two complaints once morest
The parents of the two hospitalized girls, Elise and Clara, filed a complaint once morest X, Franceinfo report.
“It is difficult to understand how a product recall can be organized in such an ineffective way.“, denounced their lawyer, Nathalie Goutaland, on France 2.
Santé Publique France reminds that products made from raw milk should not be consumed by children under 5 years old and that mainly ground meats must be thoroughly cooked. The organization recorded 253 cases of pediatric HUS in 2022.
This epidemic is reminiscent of the Buitoni pizza scandal which led to the death of two children in 2022. A year later, Nestlé announced the permanent closure of the Buitoni factory in Caudry (North), implicated in this affair. In this case, a judicial investigation has been open since May 2022 in Paris for involuntary homicide in the case of two victims and involuntary injuries for 14 others.
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