Tests performed at five Lake Wildwood beaches confirmed the presence of high levels of E. coli bacteria in shallow water at three of the tested locations, the Nevada County Environmental Health Department reported Wednesday.

The department plans to continue testing the water twice-weekly. A health advisory will remain in effect, warning residents and their guests at the gated community not to swim in the lake, until bacteria levels drop.

"With lakes, unfortunately, time is the enemy," said Environmental Health Director Amy Irani. "It's not like a pool where I can just add shock treatment. Time is the only fix."

The department is still investigating possible sources of contamination.

"It could be from normal wildlife that's in the area, it could be from tributary streams, it could be from the people that were in the water at the time. There's just so many different factors. We're looking into every option," Irani said.

The department closed Hideaway Park and Meadow Park beaches Tuesday evening. The Community Center Pool Beach has remained closed since Saturday, following several reports of E. coli-related illness that affected people who had recently gone swimming there.

Beginning July 27, nine young children and one adult have reported symptoms consistent with exposure to E. coli O157, a strain that can cause diarrhea, dehydration and other complications, the Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency's Public Health Department said Wednesday. Some of the affected individuals have received test results confirming presence of the strain, and, as of Wednesday, six have been hospitalized.

According to the Public Health Department, symptoms of E. coli-related illness usually appear between three and 10 days after contamination occurs. Most affected individuals recover without medication within five to 10 days, and most cases resolve without long-term effects, barring complications.

Three of the hospitalized children have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, the Public Health Department said. The syndrome is a serious complication that can sometimes be caused by E. coli-related illness, according to the department. The syndrome can cause kidney complications and anemia and can have long-term effects. Between 30 and 90 HUS cases per year result in fatality in the U.S., the department said.

Emily Adams, a close friend of two of the affected families, said she's seen firsthand the effects HUS has had on the children who have developed it.

One child with HUS, she said, who is three years old, has undergone multiple rounds of dialysis and blood transfusions. He had been visiting Lake Wildwood with his family on Aug. 18, she said, when he was likely exposed to the E. coli strain that caused his illness.

"He's pretty out of it," Adams said. "He's a really spunky, high-energy kid, and he's just kind of laying there."

The child was originally admitted to Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, but was later airlifted to a hospital in Davis when his condition worsened, according to Adams. As of Wednesday, the child was still in an intensive care unit.

"Though HUS is a very serious condition, most people who are diagnosed with HUS recover fully," the Public Health Department said in a release.

To contact Staff Writer Matthew Pera, email mpera@theunion.com or call 530-477-4231.

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More beaches closed at Lake Wildwood as E. coli reports continue - The Union of Grass Valley