FOUR CHILDREN NOW AT VANDY

WITH SERIOUS E. coli INFECTION



As of Friday, June 30 a total of four Macon County children were being treated for a serious E. coli bacterium infection at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, following an outbreak at a local day care facility here last week.

One child, Amanda Perry's 17-month old son, Noah, is in critical condition at Vanderbilt after suffering kidney failure early this week. Two other children are being treated for reduced kidney function and one for severe diarrhea, according to a hospital spokesperson.

Two of the four stricken children have been admitted to Vanderbilt since Tuesday, June 27. One of the two had been previously treated at Sumner County Regional Medical Center and released, but the child's condition worsened at home and was admitted to the Nashville hospital on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Health said Friday that their investigation into the source of the outbreak was continuing, and that the condition of all four children in hospital was improving, albeit slowly in the case of the most seriously ill toddler.

All of the ill children, who are younger than age 6, attended Paulette's Group Day Care Home on Key Road west of Lafayette. One child, an older sibling of one of the stricken toddlers, has also show symptoms of the illness.

Physicians explain that E. coli 0157:H7 is a potent strain of a bacterium which typically causes severe diarrhea, and in extreme cases can lead to kidney failure and even death.

"We're hopeful that there won't be any additional cases," said Dr. John Dunn, a state Department of Health epidemiologist. "All of the families (of children who attended the day care center) have been notified, and the day care has done everything we have asked them to do as far as cleaning. Additionally, it voluntarily closed this week because of the number of sick children."

One child became ill the week before other children began to show symptoms of the infection. That first sick child had been sent home by the day care operator, where the parents apparently treated the child themselves with anti-diarrhea medications and returned him the next day to the day care. The child remained at the day care center for three days while displaying symptoms.

In addition to the simple spread of the bacteria by person-to-person contact, officials speculate this first child may have infected toys, linens or other objects to which the other children were exposed. Small children often have poor hygiene and tend to put things in their mouths, putting them at higher risk of infection.

As of Thursday, June 29, only children from the one day care center in Lafayette have become ill from the virulent strain of E. coli bacteria.

"There are many other bacterial and viral infections that have diarrhea as a symptom," explained state Department of Health spokesperson Debbie Hoy in Cookeville. "If the child has diarrhea for more than 48 hours, or passes blood in the stool or is unresponsive, he or she should be seen by a physician."

MOTORCYCLE FATALITY

James Arnett, 29, of 5551 Clay county HWY., RBS, died Thursday, June 29, 2006 when the 2005 Honda motorcycle he was driving left the road.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Troopers: Gerald Carter, Danny Fisher, and Ed Crouch reported no other vehicles involved.

According to the THP report, the fatality occurred at 4:30 p.m. on HWY. 56 (Carthage Rd) two tenths mile north of Oak Grove Rd.

The THP accident report indicates that Arnett's motorcycle failed to negotiate a curve, ran off the left side of the road and struck a barbed wire fence.

According to THP, Arnett was wearing a helmet and no charges were filed at the time of the accident.