Four children are reported to have become ill with the potentially
fatal E. coli 0157 infection after visiting the National Trust's
Wimpole Hall Farm - "Home Farm" in Cambridgeshire UK. Two more
children - relatives of the originallly infected 4 - also became ill
according to a report in today's "Cambridge Evening News".

In 1996, 21 people died after eating the same lunch at a church event
in Scotland.

The new Cambridge outbreak has been thoroughly investigated by Health
and Veterinary Services and they have decided that the popular
visitor farm, which is partly a "petting zoo", can remain open.
However, specialists have advised, according to the "Cambridge
Evening News" report, that children and other visitors to the farm
are not allowed to feed goats and sheep with grass pellets in future.

Besides goats and sheep, Wimpole farm also has pigs and cattle (cows,
bulls and calves).

The National Trust has recently banned children from handling new-
laid eggs on its farms in case they pick up Salmonella (a food
poisoning disease) infection from the poultry.

More information about E.coli O157 and tips on preventing children
from becoming infected with animal disease bacteria and viruses
(termed "zoonoses") can be found at:
http://www.pighealth.com/ecoli.htm