A child has come down with a suspected case of E. coli at a Perthshire nursery.
NHS Tayside is currently investigating the situation involving the child, who is understood to attend Errol Primary School’s nursery class.
Parents at the nursery have been sent letters from the health board with information on the infection.
A spokesperson at NHS Tayside confirmed: “NHS Tayside’s health protection team is aware of and currently investigating a single suspected case of E. coli non O157 infection in a child who attends a nursery in Perthshire.
“As a precaution, a letter has been issued to parents of children at the nursery for information and reassurance.
“The risk to the wider public is very low.”
According to the health board, Escherichia coli is a family of bacteria commonly found in farm animals and outdoor environments, and although some strains of E. coli are harmless, some types can produce toxins that cause people to become unwell.
A person can become infected by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, by coming into contact with other infected people, or coming into contact with animals carrying the disease, such as at a farm or a zoo.
Symptoms of E. coli include diarrhoea, including sometimes with blood, fever, stomach pains and cramps, nausea, vomiting and generally feeling unwell.
It is most common in young children and the elderly, and it can lead to more serious complications.
