Athlete Claire Michel denies E. Coli infection

Claire Michel, a Belgian triathlete, has refuted rumors regarding a possible infection with the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) after participating in a triathlon event in the Seine. On her Instagram page, Wednesday August 7, she clarified that the analyzes revealed that she was suffering from a virus and not a bacterial infection.

A reassuring diagnosis for the Seine

Speculation was already numerous, but Claire Michel's confirmation brings some peace of mind. Suspicions of E. coli infection emerged after the triathlete was forced to cancel her participation in the mixed triathlon events due to health problems. However, the absence of similar cases among other athletes who swam in the Seine had already reduced the probability that water was to blame.

A difficult recovery for the athlete

Claire Michel shared her experience on Instagram, describing the difficult days she went through. “After three days of vomiting and diarrhea, I needed medical support to regain my strength,” she wrote. Persistent symptoms required extensive testing to determine the cause of his illness.

Benoît Jaulhac, head of the bacteriology laboratory at the Strasbourg CHRU, explained the diagnostic process to HuffPost: “In these cases we work by elimination. If there are no signs of inflammation or infection, and if the diarrhea contains E. coli normally present, it could be any digestive virosis.”

Precautions at the Olympic Village

Although Claire Michel did not specify the exact nature of the virus contracted, the situation in the Olympic village remains under surveillance. Swiss athletes Adrien Briffod and Simon Westermann also had to withdraw from the competition due to gastric problems. However, no outbreaks or notable increases in digestive problems have been reported among Olympic athletes so far.

Alice Leroy