VANCOUVER: E-coli infections at PNE fail to trigger alert

16.sep.09
The Vancouver Sun
Denise Ryan

barfblog

METRO VANCOUVER -- Although the Vancouver Coastal Health authority had
identified a cluster of e-coli infections as early as last Thursday, no
public health warning was issued, said spokeswoman Anna Marie D'Angelo.
All 13 cases that have presented so far are thought to be related to
exposure to the the PNE petting zoo.
"We were suspicious on Thursday when two cases were reported, then there
were more on Friday," said B.C.'s Medical Health Officer Dr. John
Carsley.
No further cases are expected, but VCH requested Wednesday that the B.C.
Centre for Disease Control issue an alert to B.C. emergency rooms.
The family of 14-month-old Jacklyn Simpson, who was stricken with the
illness after visiting the petting zoo, believes that had they known
about the outbreak, they might have been able to get help earlier.
Mike Neitzel said his granddaughter Jacklyn first experienced vomiting
and flu-like symptoms on Thursday, after visiting the petting zoo on
Saturday, Sept. 5.
Jacklyn's mother, Caroline Neitzel, a fitness and wellness instructor,
had no reason to connect her daughter's illness with the visit to the
petting zoo.
By Saturday, Jacklyn's symptoms were getting worse. On Sunday morning,
her mother took the child to Eagle Ridge Hospital where she was
diagnosed with gastroenteritis and sent home.
In the following hours, Jacklyn's condition worsened, she became
lethargic and began to show bloody stool and lack of urine.
"My daughter rushed her to Royal Columbian Hospital emergency Sunday
night," said Neitzel, "and showed them the bloody diaper. They said the
same thing - flu - gave her some electrolytes by mouth and sent her
home."
Monday morning Caroline Neitzel called her family doctor in a panic. The
doctor instructed her to go back to the hospital.
"Jacklyn's eyes were rolling back in her head, she was very, very sick,"
said Neitzel.
In spite of her dire condition, Jacklyn was not admitted until 8:30 that
night, said Neitzel, after a seven-hour wait in emergency.
"By the time the pediatrician saw her [on Monday night]," said Neitzel,
"her kidneys were barely functioning, she had a low red blood-cell count
and a low platelet count."
Neitzel said that on the visit to the PNE her daughter, who is "almost
obsessive-compulsive about handwashing" had cleaned the little girl's
hands well after contact with the animals.
The family doesn't blame the PNE, said Neitzel, nor does he think the
petting zoo should be shut down.
"I'm a great supporter of the Canadian health care system... this time
it didn't work," said Neitzel.
"Her parents are just finished. They are devastated. Her mother tried so
hard to get her little girl some treatment and she didn't get it," said
Neitzel.
"We wrestle very seriously with this issue of whether to do a public
alert or not," said Carsley. "It depends very much on the outbreak, and
if there is a continued risk out there."
In this case, the risk was not ongoing because the PNE was closed, said
Carsley.