E Coli Outbreak Linked to Egypt

30 June 2011 Last updated at 10:51 ET

By James GallagherHealth reporter, BBC News

Fenugreek seedsEgyptian fenugreek seeds have been linked to both outbreaks

E. coli outbreaks in Germany and France could have come from seeds sourced in Egypt, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said.

A report said there was still “much uncertainty”, but fenugreek seeds imported in 2009 and 2010 “had been implicated in both outbreaks”.

More than 4,000 people were infected during the German outbreak, 48 died.

Investigators traced the source back to a bean sprout farm in Bienenbuettel, Lower Saxony.

The outbreak in Bordeaux affected 15 people and was linked to seeds sold by a firm in the UK – Thompson and Morgan, although it said there was no evidence of a link.

to read more, go to:    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13973002