Question

Part I Frank Spring knew this was not going to be a good morning as he looked out into the packed ER waiting room. Scattered among the usual collection of cuts, broken bones, and respiratory problems were over a dozen people clustered around the restrooms. Despite their pale appearance and frantic dashes into the restrooms, they were all talking with each other not usual behavior for a group of strangers in the ER. Several others held young children. "Morning, Sam. What have we got?" Frank asked. Sam looked up from the pile of charts. “The usuals, but then one strange bunch," he replied. “Those folks have been drifting in over the last hour or so. Symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. Most of the adults are just a bit uncomfortable. The kids have it the worst. Four little ones came in around midnight with the same symptoms-only worse. Two are in Peds. The other two are on dialysis already." | Frank's eyebrows rose. "Put in a call..." Sam cut him off. “Called the county after number three came in last night. The epidemiologist will be here inside of an hour. We've already taken stool samples. They're in the lab now." He handed Frank three charts. "These belong to the kids over there with the woman in the red jacket, Cara Hom. They just came in, but the youngest looks bad, lots of bruises as well as the other symptoms." Frank took the charts and walked over to her. "Mrs. Hom, will you come this way, please." Cara Hom tried to pick up the collection of children's coats scattered on the floor around her. "Go on, Cara, get the kids looked at," said a woman from across the room. "We'll watch your stuff. "Thanks," Cara replied, lifting the whimpering toddler into her arms. She followed Frank down the hall. Frank took advantage of the opening: "You folks all seem to know each other," he said. Cara looked puzzled. "You know, that's odd. I think we have half the neighborhood here. We all thought the kids had just brought the flu home from school, but it's a lot more than that, ish asked, half not wanting an answer. "Let's take a look at the kids and find out," he said as he lead them behind curtain three. "Don't jump to.

Answer 1

1.The most common source of contamination with E. coli is when we eat food contaminated with E.coli such as  ground beef. During the process of slaughtering of cattle, E. coli bacteria from their intestines get on the meat.

2.The source of infection was due to food poisoning caused by eating E.coli contaminated food.

3.Information that Ami should gather from victims and their families are '

• What was the food vicdtims  last ate before the illness creeped in.
• If victims consumed beef.
• Since how long the victims were having vomiting, bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain.
• If any medication taken before coming to the physician.

4.Children seem to be most ill because their immune system is much weaker than adults as they are not much exposed to all bacteria as adults to develop resistance against them.

5.The bacteria produces a powerful toxin that caused damage to the lining of the small intestine resulting in  bloody diarrhea.Also it leads to dehydration, loss of blood platelets and kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)