A four-year-old boy was left hospitalised abroad after an innocent trip to the farm resulted in ‘nightmare’ symptoms caused by a deadly infection.
Michael, from Bridgend in south Wales, went to Cowbridge Farm Shop at Marlborough Grange Farm in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, on April 11 with his grandmother, Margaret Carpenter, while his family prepared for their long-awaited vacation.
The boy’s mother, Kate Wiejak, 39, shared with BBC News that her son had been going to the farm ‘every year’ and, like most kids, he absolutely loved petting the lambs. He made sure to wash his hands and use hand sanitizer afterwards.
Gareth Carpenter, his father, mentioned that the family was excited about their upcoming holiday with friends and made it clear that they wouldn’t consider getting on a plane if they suspected their son wasn’t feeling well.
But the tranquility of their holiday was to be short-lived. Just two days after Ms Wiejak, her 16-year-old daughter and Mr Carpenter, boarded their flight to Malaga, Michael began to show symptoms of being significantly unwell.
Reporting a raised temperature and diarrhoea by April 14, Mr Carpenter, 46, initially believed his son’s sudden illness was due to poor food or too much sun and had full confidence that Michael would soon feel ‘right as rain’ following a small dosage of Calpol.
The reality, however, was to be far worse. After Michael continued to feel unwell throughout the night, his parents were left with no choice but to pay an eye-watering sum of €5,000 (£4,229) to get Michael seen by a nearby private hospital.
Michael Carpenter, aged four (pictured), from Bridgend, Wales, was hospitalised for three days with ‘nightmare’ symptoms after after visiting Cowbridge Farm Shop at Marlborough Grange Farm in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, on April 11 with his grandmother
Michael (pictured) had become one of 73 others to have become infected with cryptosporidium, a sometimes deadly parasite, after attending the popular Welsh farm
The infection, which can be life-threatening for those with vulnerable immune systems, can be caught via contact with infected faeces, either directly from an infected animal or person, or from contaminated surfaces like farm gates or the bottom of shoes (Pictured: Michael while in hospital in Spain)
Describing their terrifying ordeal as an ‘absolute nightmare’ but quick to praise the ‘absolutely amazing’ hospital staff, Ms Wiejak added: ‘We literally saw a doctor within 10 minutes, I was shocked.’
After three days in hospital battling what doctors believed to be a serious infection of sorts, Michael’s anxious parents said they were driving themselves ‘crazy’, questioning what could have caused their son’s sudden deterioration.
Upon their return to Wales, given that Michael was still reporting a poorly stomach, they eventually took him to see a GP on April 22.
Just one day after providing a stool sample, Ms Carpenter received a call from Public Health Wales who confirmed that Michael had been infected with cryptosporidium, also known as crypto.
Their son, they learnt, had become just one of 73 others thought to have been infected with the deadly parasite after attending a calf and lamb feeding session at the popular farm.
While both Ms Wiejak and Mr Carpenter later became unwell with milder symptoms, nobody else in their holiday party contracted the infection, with Michael eventually making a full recovery.
The infection, which can be life-threatening for those with vulnerable immune systems, can be caught via contact with infected faeces, either directly from an infected animal or person, or from contaminated surfaces like farm gates or the bottom of shoes.
It then spreads through people failing to wash their hands properly, with infected individuals shedding up to 100million cryptosporidium germs in a single bowel movement, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
After three days in hospital battling what doctors believed to be a serious infection of sorts, Michael’s anxious parents said they were driving themselves ‘crazy’, questioning what could have caused their son’s sudden deterioration (Pictured: Michael while in hospital)
Following the outbreak, the farm Michael has stopped all feeding and petting sessions and are continuing to cooperate with the ongoing Public Health Wales (PHW) investigation (Pictured: Michael with his mother Ms Wiejak)
Swallowing just 10 of these germs is enough to get ill, with symptoms, such as abdominal pain and blood in stools, vomiting and diarrhoea, lasting for two weeks before it is clear from one’s system.
However, bouts of illness can last even longer, particularly for those with weakened immune systems, alongside the elderly.
When the outbreak at the Welsh farm was first identified in late April, health chiefs identified just 47 cases of the parasite that can cause gastrointestinal illness—including stomach cramps, vomiting and in rarer cases blood in stools.
But just two days ago, Public Health Wales (PHW) reported 16 hospitalisations, with that figure expected to rise over the coming week.
Now, following the outbreak, the farm has stopped all feeding and petting sessions and are continuing to cooperate with the ongoing PHW investigation.
Su Mably, a consultant in health protection at PHW, said they are continuing to work with the Cardiff and Vale health board and Vale of Glamorgan council to fully understand the wider risk to the public.
She said: ‘While the infection is usually mild and self-limiting, it can be more serious illness in young children or people with weakened immune systems.
‘We urge anyone who visited the farm and is feeling unwell to contact their GP or NHS 111. Practicing good hygiene is the best way to protect yourself and others’.
Due to the bug’s highly infectious nature people with symptoms of cryptosporidium such as diarrhoea and vomiting are told to stay off work or school until they have been free from these symptoms for at least 48 hours. Treatment is typically not required.
There are now 74 cases linked to lamb and calf petting sessions at Cowbridge Farm Shop. Treatment is typically not required but those infected are required to stay off work or school until they have been free from these symptoms for at least 48 hours
Michael’s case comes after the UKHSA issued a warning last year about the risk of cryptosporidium infection from farm visits
They are also encouraged to take steps to minimise the risk of passing the parasite on to other people in their household, including washing dirty clothes, bedding and towels on the hottest setting, and not preparing food others.
It also comes after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a warning last year about the risk of cryptosporidium infection from farm visits.
In a twist on the classic children’s rhyme the agency wrote on social media: ‘Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.
‘But wash your hands and dry them too in case it has crypto.’
