Grand Traverse County Fair Marred by E. Coli

A day at Northwestern Michigan Fair in Grand Traverse County eating Elephant Ears and visiting with some small animals at the petting zoo are amongst the favorite attractions for little bitties. The attractions hosted at fairs are those one of a kind things that most families don't get to have at home, which is why most of us don't know about the illness that we can get from doing what seems natural when out at a fair.

Between August 9 and August 13 three unrelated children visited the fair located in Grand Traverse County and ended up with E. coli symptoms, including bloody diarrhea, by the time August 17 came around.

"Considering the number of animals in close proximity to people at that venue, it seems likely that their infections were contracted there", stated Dr. Michael Collins, Medical Director for the Grand Traverse County Health Department. "Though we will probably never know exactly which animal or animals were involved as sources".

People are to air on the side of caution and be checked out if they visited the fair and have symptoms of the virus. Most cases are not severe and will resolve on their own, but some cases can cause damage to the kidneys and can be serious. Symptoms may include some or all of the following: severe abdominal cramping, sudden onset of watery diarrhea, frequently bloody, and sometimes vomiting, lethargy, and a low-grade fever.

"If you or a family member have these symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea, you should see a doctor immediately", stated the Health Officer of the Grand Traverse County Health Department, Fred Keeslar.

Using basic hand washing precautions is the best first line of defense. Soap and warm water wash for 20 seconds is a good start, followed up with some sort of antibacterial hand rinse that uses alcohol or tea tree oil will only work if you use it often when in high contact areas like a fair.

Always strive to have fun, but know how to do it safely.