E.coli: Is it safe to eat salad? And can the bacteria be passed between people?

How many people have died in the current outbreak of E.coli?

There have been 18 deaths and 1,823 people infected in 12 countries since the outbreak began. Victims have been identified across Europe and in the US who are suffering severe diarrhoea and in some cases life-threatening complications. It is already the deadliest outbreak involving E.coli in A rare strain of E.coli has appeared that is extremely virulent. It belongs to a type of the bug called enteroaggregative E.coli which is a common cause of diarrhoea all over the world. Unusually, however, this strain has acquired the capacity to produce Shiga toxin, which makes it particularly dangerous.

How did the bug get into Britain?

It hasn't – yet. Although 11 people have fallen ill from the bug in this country, including three Britons, all had recently travelled to Germany.

What is the source of the outbreak?

That is the question scientists are desperate to answer. It involves asking the people infected what they ate, identifying the common foods and then testing these for the presence of the bacteria. It is a hugely complex task and the answer may never be known. E.coli is usually linked with meat products but in this case, it is salad vegetables that are under suspicion, possibly through being watered with contaminated water or from manure in the soilrecent history.