AN outbreak of E coli has been identified in Dorset after a child was confirmed to be infected with the disease.

The child is one of two from the county who are currently in hospital with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E coli infection.

Public Health England, which is also carrying out tests on three further children, has refused to divulge any details about the location of the outbreak or where the children are from.

Last year ten people in Dorset were affected by the disease between July and November.

Results of tests for the strain of VTEC (Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli) infection are awaited on the second child suffering from HUS, while the other three potentially affected all hail from one household.

The cause of the infection is unknown.

Last year, despite extensive investigation, no common source or link was officially identified for the Dorset cases, but the information gathered will be reviewed against new information this year to see if there are any links.

Several victims of last year's outbreak, involving a rare strain of the disease, were hospitalised with kidney damage caused by the infection, and a nursery in Blandford was temporarily closed by Dorset County Council after three children were affected.

Two children from Bournemouth were in hospital for several weeks after catching the bug, including 21-month-old Freddy Osborne, who spent two weeks in intensive care in Southampton General Hospital.

A spokesman for Public Health England said there was typically an increase in the numbers of cases of E coli over the summer months.

"In order to prevent infection, it is very important to maintain good hand hygiene - washing hands thoroughly using soap and water after using the toilet, before and after handling food and after contact with animals including farm animals," she said.

"Small children should be supervised in washing their hands.

"Any loose soil should be removed before storing vegetables and all vegetables and fruit that will be eaten raw thoroughly washed."

The multi-agency investigation team, chaired by Public Health England, includes local environmental health teams from Bournemouth and Poole local authorities, Dorset County Council Public Health team and staff from PHE’s Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit and Field Epidemiology Services in London.