Health authorities were on Monday awaiting further tests on meat samples from several butchers following an outbreak of E coli food poisoning in northern France that has killed a 12-year-old girl and affected 17 other children.
Health Minister Yannick Neuder confirmed on Sunday that E coli was behind the outbreak around Saint-Quentin, some 80km south of Lille.
"An initial series of tests determined that it is E coli," said Neuder. "There will be a second round of tests this week at the Pasteur Institute to continue the investigation and establish the causal link."
Authorities have deployed more than 30 investigators in the region to trace the chain of contamination.
"Tests are underway to establish a definitive link," Neuder added.
The search for the source of the contamination has been complicated as the butchers do not have a common supplier.
"The idea is not to cause panic," Neuder insisted. "It is still possible to eat meat. That's not the issue."
Eight of the 17 children affected over the past week are in hospital. Six are suffering from haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a serious kidney condition which occurs in most cases as a complication of E coli bacterial poisoning. It leads to bruising or tiny red spots on the skin, blood in the urine and exhaustion.
It affects 100 to 165 children per year in France, according to the French public health institute.
'Closed as a precautionary measure'
Two butcher shops in Saint-Quentin were closed as a precautionary measure on 19 June while investigations into the source of the poisoning were carried out.
"The sick children consumed meat or meat products from two establishments a few days before the symptoms appeared," said the Aisne prefecture which covers the region.
On 20 June, the prefecture added two more butcher shops to the list but did not close them. However, it advised customers not to consume products purchased from the shops. On 22 June, the butcher's department in a supermarket in Saint-Quentin and a supermarket in Gauchy were suspended.
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During their initial investigations, health authorities tested the tap water in Saint-Quentin and the swimming pool water. However, these leads were ruled out.
E coli bacteria are one of the most well-known causes of serious and sometimes fatal food poisoning. They are a large family of bacteria, many of which are present in the human digestive system and even help it to function.
However, certain strains can cause poisoning. This is often food-borne, usually caused by eating raw or undercooked food. Symptoms generally appear three or four days after ingestion and in most cases result in stomach ache and diarrhoea.
"But an increasing number of outbreaks are being linked to the consumption of fruit and vegetables – sprouted seeds, spinach, lettuce, raw cabbage and salads," said a spokeswoman at the World Health Organisation.
(With news wires)
