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Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Public warned against deadly bacteria
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
BACOLOD CITY -- It's summer time but beachgoers should think twice before plunging into the seawaters: there could lurk the deadly Echecheria Coli (E. Coli) bacteria that killed the daughter of a Mandaluyong solon.
But not only seawaters could prove harmful but also everyone's favorites, the oysters and hamburgers that are not well cooked.
Dr. Vicente Iturriaga, a medical specialist at Jose Locsin Memorial Provincial Hospital in Silay City, said Tuesday the E. Coli bacteria could be found in seawaters and in oysters locally known as "talaba".
Iturriaga said the E. Coli bacteria is predominant in meat but could be present in seawaters due to some form of wastes and pollutants thrown into bodies of water.
"People who love to swim during sea escapades should avoid drinking (sea) water," said Iturriaga of the bacteria that could have killed Ciarra Marie Abalos, one of the twin daughters of Mandaluyong Representative Benhur Abalos.
In the case of the younger Abalos, Iturriaga said she could have either eaten hamburger that was not cooked well or any other contaminated food.
Iturriaga said Ciarra Marie probably suffered severe dehydration and vomiting before she was brought to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Manila for treatment.
An E. Coli attack causes dehydration, severe vomiting and other forms of gastro-intestinal symptoms.
Abalos, attending physicians declared, died not solely of E. Coli but also of renal malfunction after losing body fluids.
Iturriaga, however, said that E.Coli, though a highly poisonous bacteria, could be easily killed by any antibiotic.
Cholera is more deadly compared to E. Coli bacteria, he explained.
Iturriaga also disclosed that a number of E. Coli contamination cases in Negros Occidental have been reported in the past but none died due to its infection.
"E. Coli is treatable. But if one will ignore it, it becomes dangerous," said Iturriaga.
Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit cautioned people against buying noodles or pasta dishes sold by ambulant vendors.
Dayrit said that such foods are prone to bacterial contamination.
Dayrit said spaghetti and "pansit" are included among those foods that could get spoiled and could be contaminated with E. Coli bacteria.
People who eat contaminated food run the risk of contracting diarrhea and other gastrointestinal-related diseases, Dayrit added.
He urged buyers to check if the food sold by ambulant vendors is newly cooked.
(April 27, 2005 issue)
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