Outbreak of E.Coli – what if it happened to us?

The recent outbreak of E.Coli at Goldstone Farm has put the media spotlight on this topic, but what is E-Coli, and what implications are there for businesses with regards to their insurance?

What is E.Coli?

Escherichia coli, commonly referred to as E. coli is a bacterium naturally found in the lower intestine of man and other warm blooded animals. Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some, such as serotype 0157:H7 can cause serious food poisoning in humans.

The harmless strains are part of the normal flora of the gut and can benefit their hosts by producing vitamin K2, or by preventing the establishment of harmful bacteria within the intestine.

Normally E. coli serves a useful function by suppressing the growth of harmful bacterial species and by synthesising appreciable amounts of vitamins. A minority of strains are capable of causing human illness by several different mechanisms.

E. coli are not always confined to the intestine and their ability to survive for brief periods outside the body makes them an ideal indicator organism, to test environmental samples for faecal contamination. The bacteria can also be grown easily and its genetics are comparatively simple and easily manipulated, making it one of the best studied organisms and an important species for biotechnology.

Some strains, in particular E. coli 0157 are potentially fatal. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to E. coli 0157 which can be passed on by the consumption of infected food and drink. The number of cases in the UK has seen a significant rise in recent years and it is estimated that around 15 % of cattle now carry the organism in their gut.

E.Coli in Britain

The strain first appeared in Britain in the 1980s and is technically known as verocytotoxin producing E. coli, or VTEC. Fewer than 100 organisms can cause illness.

Contamination of food is caused by the transfer of E. coli from faeces to food. Good personal hygiene such as thoroughly washing hands, scrubbing nails and drying hands on a clean towel after going to the lavatory, can help to prevent the spread of E. coli. Meat can be contaminated with E. coli. This may be a result of poor handling where the animal or other animal’s faeces may have infected the raw meat.

The foods that are most susceptible to E. coli are those which are handled frequently, for example, cold foods such as sandwiches, salads and undercooked foods such as beef-burgers and barbecued chicken.

In the mid 1980’s public health specialists became aware of the verotoxin producing E. coli 0157 VTEC. VTEC 0157 is an extremely nasty infection, responsible for kidney failure and in some cases death in its victims.

A study conducted by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre found that 38% of victims were admitted to hospital, 21% developed kidney problems (children in particular) and 3% died.

In the worst recorded E. coli outbreak, 20 people died in Scotland after attending a church lunch in Wishaw Strathclyde. On November 26th 1996 nine days after the lunch, Harry Saw, 80, died. The last fatality was a pensioner who died on June 2, 1997. Previously the worst recorded outbreak was in Canada in 1982, when 19 pensioners from a nursing home died. For reasons that remain unclear the infection is much more prevalent in Scotland than in the rest of the UK, even though the sale of raw (untreated) cow’s milk was banned in Scotland in 1983.

Symptoms of E.Coli

E.coli causes illness usually within 12 to 24 hours but sometimes up to 72 hours after eating affected food. The symptoms are abdominal pains, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting. The symptoms are caused by the bacteria multiplying in the intestine and producing toxins. The illness normally lasts from one to seven days.

E. coli can range from mild diarrhoea through to abdominal cramps and blood in the stools. Some patients can also suffer from a complication, haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which kills red blood cells and can lead to kidney failure. Children under 5 years of age are particularly susceptible to HUS. About 10-15%, of those contracting the illness progress to this stage. In severe cases it can cause permanent kidney damage. Young children are particularly vulnerable as they cannot tolerate much fluid and blood loss. The elderly and people with suppressed immune systems are also at greater risk form the infection.

Symptoms may appear within hours or days, depending on a number of factors, including the number of organisms ingested the person’s general state of health and their natural resistance to the bacterium.

Key Steps to Prevent E.Coli

Good hygiene is normally the best way to prevent the spread of E.Coli. A few basic steps that will help prevent the spread:

Care of personal hygiene by washing hands before and after handling food and between handling different foods, especially raw meats.
Washing hands after using the toilet or changing nappies.
Cooking meats thoroughly, particularly minced meats
Separation of raw from cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Kitchen hygiene: thorough cleaning of all surfaces, equipment and utensils after use.
Staff training in food hygiene techniques.
Avoid raw milk, unpasteurised dairy products and unpasteurised juices.
Avoid swallowing water when swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools or garden paddling pools.

What are the insurance implications of E.Coli?

Under a "bog standard" commercial business insurance policy, the Business Interruption section of the cover will not normally provide cover to protect the income stream in the event that the business is forced to close due to an outbreak of disease, infestation or defective sanitation. Business Interruption cover is usually restricted to provide cover in the event of a material damage claim – such as following a fire or a flood etc.

However, cover for disease can be obtained by extending the policy in return for an additional premium. This will provide protection against losses arising following closure in the event of an outbreak "at the premises" or "in the vicinity" of the premises, which causes interruption (and loss) to the business.

There is much variation between insurers on the diseases covered, the limits of indemnity they will provide, as well as geographical limits (some define "in the vicinity" as within 250 metres; others within a 10 mile radius!).

Generally speaking however, cover can be obtained for Food and Drink poisoning, Notifiable Disease (as listed in the policy), Harmful Organisms, Vermin Pest and Defective Sanitation, as well as Murder or Suicide.