CANADA: Baby, 12 others catch E.coli at petting zoo

16.sep.09
CTV.ca News

A 14-month-old baby girl is still in hospital after contracting E. coli
from a Vancouver petting zoo.
Baby Jacklyn got sick four days after touching the animals at the
petting zoo at the Pacific National Exhibition. Vancouver health
officials say 10 other children and two adults were also infected.
Jacklyn was admitted to hospital on Monday, suffering from kidney
failure. She had been throwing up, was lethargic and had blood in her
stool. Her diapers were dry from dehydration.
The girl's mother, Caroline Neitzel, says she was careful letting her
daughter touch the animals, even wiping her with moist towelettes after
she pet them.
Laura Ballance, a spokeswoman for the PNE, said there has never been a
case of E. coli linked to the petting zoo before. The PNE closed on
Sept. 7 but symptoms can take up to 10 days to show up.