KXXV T.V. in Texas reports that Riesel Chief of Police Danny Krumnow says his teen-aged daughter Ashton began having stomach pains a few days after returning from her high school prom in Waco.
As a precaution, she was taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered he had contracted the E. coli bacteria. What’s worse, she began to experience symptoms consistent with HUS. Within days, her kidneys had shut down, and she had to undergo emergency dialysis.
“It’s about as serious as you can get,” says Krumnow.
HUS only effects two to seven percent of E. coli victims. In patients with HUS, the E. coli bacteria release deadly toxins that kill blood cells. Hammad Akram, epidemiologist at the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, says the results can be devastating.
Still, authorities are trying to determine exactly what strain made Krumnow sick and where she may have picked it up. In the meantime they urge everyone, especially those traveling overseas, to exercise caution by washing hands and being careful what and where you eat.
Krumnow, a rider with the Prime Time Express drill team in Riesel, remains in intensive care at Scott & White Hospital in Temple. Chief Krumnow says it’ll be a tough recovery, but as a teen who’s already survived a battle with leukemia, she’s more than up to the task.