THE ASAHI SHIMBUN, 05/29/2006
AKITA--Prefectural officials here say they have traced the source of an 0-157 food poisoning outbreak to a local theme park, where visitors are free to touch the animals on display.
They said all 17 people infected with the potentially fatal strain of E. coli bacteria visited Akita Furusato Mura (Akita hometown village) in Yokote city during the recent Golden Week holidays, or had family members who visited the park during the same period. ....[floatr]
Visitors were free to pet and hold the animals, the officials said. The O-157 organism is most commonly associated with cattle. It can be spread through consumption of contaminated meat that is not cooked properly or through contact with infected animals. The bacteria can also survive and be passed on through animal excrement.
