E-coli tests leave parents frustrated
Staff reporter
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| Josef Selinger |
The mother of a two-year-old who died as a result of complications from E-coli poisoning said she fears that delays in the investigation into the source of her son's illness has resulted in the loss of potential sources for testing.
Josef Selinger was admitted to the Alberta Children's Hospital July 10. He was diagnosed with E-coli poisoning the following day. After receiving surgery and dialysis the youngster was on the mend, but July 17 the boy's health took a turn for the worse.
'We went out for supper and when we came back at 7 pm his blood pressure dropped,' said Selena Selinger. 'They started resuscitation. He was bleeding internally and they couldn't get it to stop. They performed resuscitation for an hour-and-a-half. Finally, we had to make the decision they couldn't save him.'
Josef died of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E-coli poisoning.
The results from testing on frozen hamburger patties, well water, water from a creek and animals on the Selinger's property, located in the MD of Foothills near Spruce Meadows, came up negative for E-coli.
'It's good that it's not in our well, but in the same sense it is frustrating that we don't know what killed our son,' she said.
'They were slow in starting the investigation,' she added.
'Nobody came out until after he had passed away.'
A health inspector left a message at the Selinger home after E-coli was confirmed. The official was able to speak to the Selingers the following day and asked that the frozen hamburger be left for testing. The case was then passed on to a health inspector from the Selinger's area, the former Headwaters Health Authority. The second individual left a phone message on Monday, July 14 to follow up on the investigation interview process.
At one point friends inquiring on behalf of the Selingers were told to pick up sample jars from Okotoks to take their own water samples.
'We are not experts,' Selena said. 'We don't even know where to collect the water.'
However, the area health inspector did speak with the Selingers July 16 and identified additional sources for testing. Samples were then taken from the Selingers property July 18 and 22, a week after the E-coli diagnosis.
Calgary Health Region medical officer of health, Brent Friesen, said the timeline for collecting samples was not satisfactory.
'Is the health region happy with the number of days from the diagnosis to the sampling? No,' Friesen stated in a phone interview July 24.
He said the communication problems led to the delay and that the region's policy is that reaction to suspected outbreaks from a common source should occur within a day.
However, Josef's case has not been linked to any other recent cases.
Friesen said in isolated cases it is typically very difficult to identify the source.
In the past week the health region changed its procedure for dealing with cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. Now a group of specialized health inspectors dealing with enteric infections, or infections of the stomach and bowel, will head up investigations into cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome.
'Our previous approach for hemolytic uremic syndrome was it would be headed up by communicable disease control so we were bringing in another party,' Friesen explained. 'We are tightening up the reporting.'
In the meantime, the Selingers are left to wonder what happened to their only son.
'It is very, very empty,' said Selinger. 'My husband and I are just devastated. Josef was everything to us.'
Jumping for joy
Mason Moore negotiates a dirt jump built at a construction site near Crystal Ridge Drive. Mason practiced his biking skills Saturday.
- photo by Darlene Casten
Anglers' help needed to save fish in hot water
Intern reporter
Hot weather and low stream flows are threatening fish populations in several area streams, pushing water temperatures to severe levels and prompting the government to ask anglers to refrain from fishing until conditions improve.
Dave Christiansen, manager for the southwest region of fish and wildlife, said while the government is depending on co-operation from anglers, the streams are not under legal closures and no fines will be assessed if anglers are caught fishing in the selected streams.
'This is strictly voluntary at this time,' he said.
The affected streams include the Highwood and Sheep rivers and their tributaries, Pincher Creek, Todd Creek, Willow Creek, Fish Creek and several others. The advisory was made last week after unusually high temperatures were discovered in the streams and fish kills were reported in the Highwood and Sheep rivers.
'With the big period of warm weather and the low flow we've experienced this year, the water temperatures in those streams start to rise,' said Christiansen. 'If these conditions continue there's going to be additional mortality of fish.'
Christiansen said fish numbering in the dozens have been reported dead along the Highwood and Sheep rivers. By asking anglers to refrain from fishing, he said, remaining fish have an increased chance of survival.
'The benefits for reducing angling will be for those fish that might have been just borderline,' he said.
According to Christiansen, the selected streams have reached temperatures in 'the critical range,' far above what is considered the maximum safe range, 22 degrees C. While he said the temperatures of streams vary daily, streams near Cremona have been reported as reaching temperatures as high as 27 degrees C.
'When the temperatures get up into that range those fish are under some serious stress,' said Christiansen.
While Christiansen said conditions are not considered as severe as last summer, he admitted local streams are quickly approaching similar temperatures.
Thanks to a lack of rain, he said, stream flows are declining daily, increasing water temperatures and putting increased stress on fish populations.
'With less water in the streams they certainly can heat up faster,' he said. 'It adds up to extreme conditions.'
Christiansen said fish and wildlife officials would like to see about five consecutive days where peak temperatures don't rise above 22 degrees C before the advisory is lifted. He said he expects it will take 'well into next week' before such an action is even considered.
'With fish that are experiencing this kind of stress, it isn't corrected over night,' he said.
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