New York - An experimental vaccine looks promising as a way to protect against E. coli O157, the deadly bacterium that caused the recall of millions of pounds of frozen beef in June 1997.
Preliminary tests of the vaccine suggest that it is safe and may help the body fight the bacteria, according to scientists at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Three different versions of the vaccine, a combination of a capsule molecule from E. coli O157 and a protein from the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was tested in 87 volunteers, according to a report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
None of the volunteers developed a fever or other major side effect, and all had a fourfold increase in antibodies -- a response sufficient to kill the bacteria in test tube studies. It's still unclear if the vaccine is protective against bacteria in the body.
E. coli O157 can cause cramps, bloody diarrhea and kidney failure, and small children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk. The main source of E. coli O157 is thought to be the intestines of cattle, and the bacteria can be spread to meat during butchering. However, deer meat, consuming fruit and vegetables contaminated with cattle feces, and swimming in contaminated ponds or lakes have also been sources of infection.
The bacteria killed four children and led to permanent injury in many others in 1993 after they ate undercooked, contaminated hamburgers at a fast-food restaurant. Overall, an estimated 20,000 people are infected and 250 die each year in the US from E. coli O157, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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