Category Archives: VTEC

USA – Outbreak of E. coli Infections – E.coli O103 STEC

Posted on April 17, 2019 | Leave a comment

CDC

Latest Outbreak Information
Illustration of a megaphone.
At A Glance

 

Photo of romaine lettuce in a wood bowl.

  • A total of 109 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 have been reported from six states.
    • Seventeen people have been hospitalized. No cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, have been reported. No deaths have been reported.
  • Preliminary epidemiologic information suggests that ground beef is the source of this outbreak.
    • Ill people in this outbreak report eating ground beef at home and in restaurants.
    • Traceback investigations are ongoing to determine the source of ground beef supplied to grocery stores and restaurant locations where ill people ate.
  • At this time, no common supplier, distributor, or brand of ground beef has been identified.
  • CDC is not recommending that consumers avoid eating ground beef at this time. Consumers and restaurants should handle ground beef safely and cook it thoroughly to avoid foodborne illness.
  • At this time, CDC is not recommending that retailers stop serving or selling ground beef.
  • This is a rapidly evolving investigation. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O103, eae, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, STEC, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized, VTEC

Research – Shiga toxin/verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC) infection – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2017

Posted on April 10, 2019 | Leave a comment

ECDC

In 2017, 6 457 confirmed cases of infections with Shiga toxin/verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC) were reported in the EU/EEA.

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Shiga toxin/verocytotoxin-producing Escher ichia coli (STEC/VTEC) infection – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2017 – EN – [PDF-630.82 KB]

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, eae, STEC, STX 1, STX 2, Uncategorized, VTEC

Scotland – Food Standards Scotland issues warning over Shiga-toxi E.coli bug

Posted on February 21, 2019 | Leave a comment

Herald Scotland

FOOD safety inspectors have warned that even trace amounts of an E. coli bacteria can post a danger to human health.

The updated guidance from Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has been published today following a joint report by the World Health Organisation and United Nations which urged vigilance in relation to Shiga Toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).

Professor Norval Strachan, Independent Chief Scientific Adviser for FSS, said: “STEC, or Shiga Toxin-producing E. coli, are a group of different types of E. coli bacteria found in the guts of animals such as cattle and sheep, which can make their way into the food chain via the animals’ faeces.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, Uncategorized, VTEC

USA – FDA Report on E. Coli O157 Outbreak in Romaine Lettuce Points to “Significant” Finding of Strain in Sediment of Water Reservoir

Posted on February 15, 2019 | Leave a comment

Food Safety Tech 

The November 2018 outbreak of E.coli O157:H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce caused 62 illnesses across 16 states. The FDA zeroed in on the Central Coast growing regions of northern and Central California as being responsible for the contamination. The outbreak was declared over on January 9 and yesterday FDA released the report, “Factors Potentially Contributing to the Contamination of Romaine Lettuce Implicated in the Fall 2018 Multi-State Outbreak of E.Coli O157:H7”, which provides an overview of the investigation.

The report states that a sediment sample coming from an on-farm water reservoir in Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County, California) tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. Although this particular farm was identified in several legs of the Fall 2018 traceback investigations that occurred in the United States and Canada, as well as being a possible supplier of romaine lettuce in the 2017 traceback investigations, the FDA said that the farm is not the single source of the outbreak, as there is “insufficient evidence”. The traceback suggests that the contaminated lettuce could have come from several farms, because not all tracebacks led to the farm on which the contaminated sediment was found.

 

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, STEC, Toxin, Uncategorized, VTEC

Research -Microbiological Testing Program for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli: Individual Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components

Posted on November 14, 2018 | Leave a comment

USDA

Table 1. Raw Ground Beef Products (RGB) Analyzed for E. coli O157:H7, Current Calendar Year

Sample Source1 Collection Date Where Collected Product Status Positives this Year Samples Analyzed this Year Total Positives2 Total Samples Analyzed2
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 15, 2018 MN Held 4 9,541 540 238,301
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 9, 2018 NC Held 3 9,297 539 238,057
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Mar 26, 2018 OR Held 2 3,085 538 231,845
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Feb 8, 2018 CA Held 1 1,704 537 230,464

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Microbiological Testing Program for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli: Individual Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components

View by Year:  
2018 Positive Results
2017 Positive Results
2016 Positive Results
2015 Positive Results
2014 Positive Results
2013 Positive Results
2012 Positive Results
2011 Positive Results
2010 Positive Results
2009 Positive Results
2008 Positive Results
2007 Positive Results
2006 Positive Results
2005 Positive Results
2004 Positive Results
2003 Positive Results
2002 Positive Results
2001 Positive Results

The table below includes all positive results as of November 4, 2018.

Table 1. Raw Ground Beef Products (RGB) Analyzed for E. coli O157:H7, Current Calendar Year 

Sample Source1 Collection Date Where Collected Product Status Positives this Year Samples Analyzed this Year Total Positives2 Total Samples Analyzed2
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 15, 2018 MN Held 4 9,541 540 238,301
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Oct 9, 2018 NC Held 3 9,297 539 238,057
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Mar 26, 2018 OR Held 2 3,085 538 231,845
Federal RGB Verification, Beef Feb 8, 2018 CA Held 1 1,704 537 230,464

1Sample Sources may include these types of establishments and samples:

  • Federal (verification; follow-up)
  • Retail (verification; follow-up)
  • State (verification; follow-up)
  • Import (verification; follow-up). For Import samples, the column “Where Collected” is defined as Country of Origin. <!–
  • Source may also refer to the type of product (beef, veal, or mixed), as listed on the product label.

    • –>

2Totals: “Total Positives” and “Total Samples Analyzed” are the totals since FSIS began its testing program to detect E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef on October 17, 1994.

The table below includes all positive results as of November 4, 2018.

Table 2. Raw Ground Beef Components (RGBC) Analyzed for Target STECs, Current Calendar Year3

Sample Source4 Collection Date Target STECs Where Collected Product Status Posi-
tives this Year		 Samples Analyzed this Year5 Total Posi-
tives		 Total Samples Analyzed6
Trim Verification, Beef Oct 18, 2018 O111 PA Held 19 6,594 415 59,239
Trim Verification, Beef Oct 9, 2018 O157:H7 SD Held 18 6,262 414 58,907
Trim Verification, Beef Sep 5, 2018 O157:H7 PA Held 17 5,641 413 58,286
Trim Verification, Beef Aug 14, 2018 O103 PA Held 16 5,018 412 57,663
Trim Verification, Beef Jun 6, 2018 O157:H7 MO Held 15 3,583 411 56,228
Trim Verification, Veal Jun 6, 2018 O26 PA Held 14 3,428 410 56,073
Follow-up to RGBC Positive, Beef May 30, 2018 O103 PA Held 13 3,266 409 55,911
Follow-up to RGBC Positive, Beef May 29, 2018 O103 PA Held 12 3,266 408 55,911
Trim Verification, Beef May 21, 2018 O157:H7 TX Held 11 3,147 407 55,792
Trim Verification, Beef May 16, 2018 O103 PA Held 10 2,968 406 55,613
Trim Verification, Beef May 15, 2018 O103 NY Held 9 2,968 405 55,613
Trim Verification, Beef May 9, 2018 O103 PA Held 8 2,968 404 55,613
Other RGBC Verification May 9, 2018 O157:H7 NE Held 7 2,968 403 55,613
Trim Verification, Beef Mar  19, 2018 O157:H7 NM Held 6 1,814 402 54,455
Trim Verification, Beef Mar 1, 2018 O121 ID Held 5 1,507 401 54,148
Trim Verification, Veal Feb 27, 2018 O103 WA Held 4 1,347 400 53,988
Follow-up to RGBC Positive, Beef Jan 27, 2018 O45 WI Held 3 583 400 53,225
Other RGBC Verification Jan 4, 2018 O157:H7 SD Held 2 107 399 52,749
Trim Verification, Beef Dec 28, 2017 O157:H7 WI Held 1 107 398 52,749

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli 045, E.coli O103, E.coli O104, E.coli O111, E.coli O121, E.coli O128, E.coli O145, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, E.coli O26, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, Uncategorized, VTEC

Denmark -E. coli sickens 26 in Denmark; no cases in other countries as yet – STEC E.coli O126

Posted on November 8, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News Ecoli Istock

Danish officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak that has 26 cases with three out of four being children.

Statens Serum Institut (SSI), the agency responsible for the preparedness against infectious diseases in Denmark, said the source of infection is not yet known but an investigation is under way.

SSI told Food Safety News that the 26 confirmed patients’ ages are between less than 1 year old to 95 years old, with 19 being children younger than five years of age. One person has been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Cases with a specific type of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) or Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) have been reported to SSI in the past few weeks.

E. coli O26:H11 illnesses are spread across the country, but are primarily in the cities of Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense. Illness onset dates range from Aug. 23 to Oct. 10.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O26, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, Uncategorized, VTEC

USA -Utah STEC Outbreak Investigated; Petting Zoos and Farms Studied

Posted on October 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Public health officials in Utah are investigating an increase in Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections (STEC) in that state, according to the Utah Department of Health. The source of this Utah STEC outbreak has not been identified, but some patients said they visited farms, corn mazes, and petting zoos before they got sick.

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Posted in E.coli, STEC, Uncategorized, VTEC