Public Health Wales has confirmed several attendees at a Welsh festival this summer, became infected with a bacteria that could prove life-threatening in certain circumstances.
The Big Tribute Festival, which bills itself as the “biggest festival in Wales”, took place at Lovesgrove farm in Aberystwyth between August 22 and 24 this year. The line-up featured tribute acts to major names such as Oasis, Abba, and Queen.
A “small number” of festival-goers became infected with a potentially fatal condition at the event, with officials yet to pinpoint the precise source, though they note it is frequently transmitted through contaminated food but can also spread through close contact with an infected person as well as direct contact with an infected animal or its environment.
Public Health Wales announced an outbreak of O26 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) connected to the event, reports Wales Online. They are working alongside Ceredigion County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board to investigate.
People infected with STEC can have a combination of these symptoms:
Some people may have mild diarrhoea or even no symptoms at all.
Symptoms can last up to two weeks in cases without complications. A small proportion of patients, mainly children, may develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) which is a serious life-threatening condition resulting in kidney failure. A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP).
According to Kidney Research UK the outlook for patients with STEC-HUS is generally good and for most patients there is recovery with little evidence of kidney damage. However HUS is a serious condition and some people can have severely damaged kidneys or die as a result of HUS.
After recovery sufferers may be left with mild permanent kidney damage but sometimes it can be more severe. In the most severe cases other organs may be damaged too. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community
The outlook for patients with atypical HUS used to be poor with many patients needing long-term dialysis with a high risk of the condition returning if transplanted. New treatments have become available that have improved outcomes in recent years.
A spokesman for Public Health Wales said: “Public Health Wales has been working with colleagues in Ceredigion County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board to investigate a small number of laboratory-confirmed cases of O26 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) linked to a festival in Aberystwyth earlier this year.
“An outbreak was declared because the cases were genomically linked. There is no ongoing risk to the general public. Declaring an outbreak is a routine public health action and an outbreak can be declared with as few as two linked cases.
“Public Health Wales continues to explore the source of the infection and contacted those people who had purchased tickets to the festival to complete a survey about their visit.
“The report into this outbreak will be published in due course.
“O26 STEC is a bacterial infection which can cause severe bloody diarrhoea and serious complications. It is often transmitted via consumption of contaminated food but can also be spread by close contact with an infected person as well as direct contact with an infected animal or its environment.”
Wendi Shepherd, deputy director of health protection for Public Health Wales, said: “STEC is an unpleasant infection which usually resolves within 10-14 days. However it can be particularly serious for vulnerable people such as young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
“We are grateful to the festival ticket-buyers who have responded to our survey as this will help us try and identify the source of the infection.
“I would advise anyone who has bloody diarrhoea or severe stomach cramps to seek medical attention. If you are affected you should take care to wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, especially before preparing food/eating and after toileting, and clean surfaces thoroughly to prevent transmission of the infection.
“You should also avoid seeing other people or preparing food for them if you experience diarrhoea and vomiting, especially people in hospital or care homes. Do not return to work, school, nursery, or similar settings until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped.”
More information on managing diarrhoea and vomiting is available on the NHS 111 Wales website.
According to the gov.uk website cattle are the most important reservoir of STEC O157 in the UK although STEC has also been found in the faeces of a range of animals including deer, rabbits, horses, pigs, and wild birds.
People can become infected by:
STEC is very infectious because very few bacteria are needed to cause illness. This means it can spread easily within families and in other settings such as day nurseries, primary schools, nursing homes, and hospitals where there are young children and others who might have difficulty in keeping clean.
Infected food handlers pose a risk of contaminating food products and must be excluded from work to avoid spreading infection.
Adult weekend tickets for the Big Tribute festival cost £110 and day passes cost £50.
The Big Tribute Festival has been approached for comment.
