A rare strain of E. coli has devastated ten different countries, resulting in at least 16 deaths and hundreds of illnesses. Cases have surfaced in Germany, Austria, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, although all known cases involve people who have recently visited northern Germany. Infectious disease detectives at the Beijing Genomic Institute believe the outbreak of this rare strain is caused by a new “super toxic” E. coli strain. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they have seen the strain before (CNN). “We have very little experience with this particular strain, but it has been seen before,” said Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC’s division of foodborne diseases (CNN). Investigators believe that the rare strain is an altered type of two E. coli bacteria with deadly genes that could explain the widespread and dangerous nature of the illness (Conley). “This is a unique strain that has never been isolated from patients before. It has various characteristics that make it more virulent and toxin-producing,” explained Hilde Kruse, a food safety expert at the WHO (Conley). Across Europe, 499 cases of HUS and 1115 cases of EHEC have been reported, acco according to the World Healthy Organization. HUS, or Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, involves a form of kidney failure. EHEC, or Enterohemorrhagic E. Coli, causes hemorrhaging in the intestines and oftentimes results in abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. In Germany, nine patients died of HUS while six passed away from EHEC (CNN). Most alarming about this strain is that it “seems to be affecting a different age group,” according to Kimball. Instead of the typical young children and elderly people, women of various ages are being hit the hardest by this rare strain. “If you look at the primary group that eats salads in the U.S. and around the world,