travel to germany

The only foods linked to the outbreak so far are raw tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. If you avoid these, you should be fine. EHEC (Entero hemorrhagic E coli) is generally not transmitted directly from person to person. Cooking these foods will adequately kill the harmful bacteria- although I'm not aware of any dish that calls for cooked lettuce or cucumbers.

Eat 100 percent cooked foods (includeds raw lettuce on a hamburger) and you will have zero percent chance of contracting Ecoli. A sausage on a roll with mustard will not give you Ecoli.

I'm sure if I understand your concern Angela. Are you concerned because you haven't experienced German food, or have you heard something about German food that gives you concerns? I've been happily eating German food for over 40 years and have yet to suffer any ill effects. Please, go forth and eat heartily, and with confidence.

@ Tom, "EHEC (Entero hemorrhagic E coli) is generally not transmitted directly from person to person. " According to news reports I heard this evening, this particular strain of E-Coli (O104) is somewhat different than many others, and is transmittable from person-to-person. I'll be in northern Germany in a few months, and hopefully the problem will be corrected by that time. If not, I'll probably still go but will be extremely careful not to eat lettuce, cucumbers or tomatoes. @ Angela, You'll have to be guided by your "comfort level" with this situation. If you go, be sure you have good medical insurance! Good luck!

The health bulletins I'm getting in my email (I get about 5 per day) indicate that you are unlikely to get it from exposure to another person, unless that person is actively ill and having diarrhea.