Please pass the E. coli O157:H7

Canada is currently experiencing one of the heaviest spring run-offs in decades. Much of this water is coming from adjacent fields and agricultural operations. You may be surprised to know that this water may contain more than your typical unwanted nitrates and minerals. For example, a disturbing trend has developed across Canada whereby unwanted biological pathogens are steadily entering our waterways. One such pathogen is Escherichia coli, which we commonly know as E. coli.

E. coli is the most common of the intestinal flora found in domesticated animals and is “shed” by those animals daily. In the United States 40% of waterways have been deemed contaminated with E. coli. A problem that is becoming more problematic as much of that water is used to irrigate food crops, for recreation, or for drinking water. Consider further that a much more pathnogenic strain of E.Coli known as Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (more commonly known as E. coli O157:H7), has steadily grown in prevalence within these animals and within our waterways. E. coli O157:H7 was detected as early as 2000 in Alberta watersheds and was later linked to increasing domesticated animal density in Southern Alberta in 2003.

Unlike common E. coli, E. coli O157:H7 is often deadly requiring as few as 10 cells to make you seriously ill. There is no available human vaccine to protect against this bacteria and the use of antibiotics may worsen disease symptoms. A very serious complication arising from the disease is hemolytic uremic syndrome which can lead to kidney failure. Particularly vulnerable groups include children, the elderly and immuno compromised individuals.

E. coli O157:H7 is present on domesticated animals’ hide, saliva, feces and intestinal contents. E. coli O157:H7 is typically contracted by consumption of contaminated water or food products, from animal petting zoo’s and has also been linked to agricultural workers themselves who now carry this pathogen.

According to the Center for Disease Control, Canada has an estimated 26,000 annually reported illnesses relating to E. coli O157:H7. This number is relatively high given that the United States is reporting only 76,000 illnesses within a population that is 10 times larger than Canada. Consider also that Canada has approximately 15 million head of cattle compared to approximately 100 million in the United States. In 2004 E. coli O157:H7 was the pathogen that killed 7 people and afflicted 2000 others in Walkerton, Ontario. Epidemiological evidence later showed that the disease outbreak resulted from contamination of the municipal water source by runoff from a nearby livestock operation.

One would think that serious steps would have been taken since its discovery to eradicate this pathogen from the Canadian food and water supply. Unfortunately, unlike other Western countries, Canada has adopted an uncoordinated, reactive and top down approach to dealing with E. coli O157:H7.

For example, in April Canada Health and Provincial Health Service Departments implemented a nation-wide recall of Walnuts tainted with E. coli O157:H7 likely from contaminated irrigation water. This recall came only after 1 person had died and a dozen had been afflicted. This possibly be due to the fact that Canada is not very good at preventing E. coli O157:H7 from entering our soil, water and food in the first place. In April the Auditor General for Alberta concluded that Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) ability to measure and effectively control water contamination from Agricultural sites was inadequate and that “contamination that is otherwise preventable may occur”.

An approved and “Made in Canada” vaccine is available for owners of domesticated animals to combat E. coli O157:H7 at the source – the animal itself. In so doing they would substantially reducing or eradicating E. coli O157:H7 before it can contaminated soil, water and our food. Unfortunately, even at just $10 per head this vaccine is rarely used in Canada.

So next time you grab a glass of water, some fresh leafy greens or other fresh produce think again and consider whether we should be taking a much harder look at Agricultural Operations and their management of E. coli O157:H7. To learn more visit www.fightecoli.com.

Chris Bolton, B.A.(Hons.), LL.B. is the Chief Executive Officer of Benchmark Labs. Benchmark Laboratories Group Ltd. (Benchmark Labs) was incorporated in 2007 for the sole purpose of building the required infrastructure to permit the rapid expansion of full service analytical labs in North America.