AUGUSTA, Maine — With the busy agricultural fair season approaching, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the state’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry are warning the public to use good hygiene and judgment when attending fairs.
According to a statement issued Thursday, the two organizations are working together with the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs to promote smart, healthy decisions.
The public is urged to stay home if sick, wash hands before and after touching animals and wash hands prior to consuming food. Officials recommend washing hands with soap and water rather than sanitizing gels if possible.
Practicing good hygiene will reduce the risk of gastrointestinal illness, such as salmonella, the release states.
“Maine agricultural fairs and events aim to showcase the best of Maine’s agriculture, past and present, and hope to inspire new generations to continue this legacy. We urge the public to observe the guidance provided at the fairs and in articles like this one to keep everyone safe. Regular handwashing is a key way to keep everyone healthy,” said State Veterinarian Michele Walsh. “The public plays a crucial role in keeping everyone, humans and animals, healthy.”
The warning comes in the wake of the death of one child and the sickening of another by E. coli last year. Although the two children attended the Oxford County Fair, which led to the suspicion they contracted the bacteria after petting animals there, testing by the Maine CDC was inconclusive.
E. coli is most commonly transmitted by consumption of contaminated food or water, but it can also be contracted through contact with farm animals. The bacteria often live in the digestive systems of humans and other mammals. People typically contract the bacteria by coming in contact with animal feces, then eating or touching their mouths with contaminated hands.
The 2016 Bangor State Fair, one of the state’s 26 agricultural fairs, is scheduled for July 29-Aug. 7.
