The E. coli bacteria responsible for an outbreak that has left 18 dead and sickened hundreds in Europe is a new strain that has never been seen before,the World Health Organisation said Thursday. Preliminary genetic sequencing suggests the strain is a mutant form of two different E. coli bacteria,with aggressive genes that could explain why the Europe-wide outbreak appears to be so massive and dangerous,the agency said. Hilde Kruse,food safety expert,WHO,told said this is a unique strain that has never been isolated from patients before. She added that the new strain has various characteristics that make it more virulent and toxin-producing than the many E. coli strains people naturally carry in their intestines. So far,the mutant E. coli strain has sickened over 1,500 people,including 470 who have developed a rare kidney failure complication,and killed 18,including one overnight in Germany,hit hardest by the outbreak. Researchers have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the illness,which has hit nine European countries,and prompted Russia on Thursday to extend a ban on vegetables to the European Union. Kruse said its not uncommon for bacteria to mutate,evolving and swapping genes. Theres a lot of mobility in the microbial world, she said,adding that it was difficult to explain where the new strain came from but strains of bacteria from humans and animals easily trade genes,like how animal viruses like Ebola jump into humans.
