Where Did Germany’s ‘Supertoxic’ E. coli Outbreak Come From?

The Takeaway

Germany’s “supertoxic” variant of E. coli has infected more than 1,500 people and killed at least 17. Scientists still don’t know where the virus came from, why it’s so deadly. The outbreak seems to be affecting women more than men, likely because women eat more salads. The strain is also reportedly resistant to 14 different antibiotics. We talk to Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota about the latest in Germany, how at risk our own food supply is, and what more can be done to prevent these kinds of food-borne diseases.

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