Journal Article

Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Outbreaks in the United States, 2010–2017

Tack, Danielle M., Gleason, Brigette L., Geissler, Aimee, Griffin, Patricia M., Kisselburgh, Hannah M., Richardson, LaTonia C., Payne, Daniel C.

2021

Overview

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cause illnesses ranging from mild diarrhea to ischemic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS); serogroup O157 is the most common cause. We describe the epidemiology and transmission routes for U.S. STEC outbreaks during 2010–2017. Health departments reported 466 STEC outbreaks affecting 4769 persons; 459 outbreaks had a serogroup identified (330 O157, 124 non-O157, 5 both). Among these, 361 (77%) had a known transmission route: 200 foodborne (44% of O157 outbreaks, 41% of non-O157 outbreaks), 87 person-to-person (16%, 24%), 49 animal contact (11%, 9%), 20 water (4%, 5%), and 5 environmental contamination (2%, 0%). The most common food category implicated was vegetable row crops. The distribution of O157 and non-O157 outbreaks varied by age, sex, and severity. A significantly higher percentage of STEC O157 than non-O157 outbreaks were transmitted by beef (p = 0.02). STEC O157 outbreaks also had significantly higher rates of hospitalization and HUS (p < 0.001).

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: animals / Beef / Colitis / Diarrhea / E coli / Epidemics / Epidemiology / Escherichia coli / Food contamination / Food contamination & poisoning / foodborne / Hemolytic uremic syndrome / Hospitalization / Illnesses / Infections / Ischemia / Medical laboratories / non-O157 / O157 / Outbreaks / pollution / serotypes / Shiga toxin / Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli / Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) / Surveillance / Toxins / vegetables