CDC E. coli: Outbreak Updates

April 3, 2012 [FINAL Update]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants.

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:45:00 EST

A total of 29 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 11 states.
- The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Iowa (5), Kansas (2), Michigan (10), Missouri (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and West Virginia (1).
- Seven ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicated eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants was the likely cause of this outbreak.

March 23, 2012 [FINAL Update]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST

As of March 21, 2012, 58 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli serotype O157:H7 were reported from 9 states.
Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicated that romaine lettuce was the likely source of illnesses in this outbreak, and contamination likely occurred before the product reached retail stores.
This particular outbreak appears to be over and consumers are not being advised to avoid eating any specific foods at this time. However, E. coli O157:H7 is still an important cause of human illness in the United States..

March 8, 2012: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:15:00 EST

A total of 25 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 8 states.
The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (9), Arkansas (1), Ohio (3), and Wisconsin (1)
Six ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak

February 24, 2012: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants.

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:35:00 EST

A total of 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 6 states.
The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (2), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1).
Two ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Preliminary results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak.

February 15, 2012 [Announcement]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants.

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST

A total of 12 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 5 states
Preliminary results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak
FDA's traceback investigation is ongoing. Traceback information on sprouts has identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurant locations where ill persons ate

December 7, 2011 [Announcement]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:32:00 EST

As of November 30, 2011, 60 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli serotype O157:H7 have been reported from 10 states.
Collaborative investigative efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that romaine lettuce is the likely source of illnesses in this outbreak, and contamination likely occurred before the product reached retail stores.
This particular outbreak appears to be over and consumers are not being advised to avoid eating any specific foods at this time. However, E. coli O157:H7 is still an important cause of human illness in the United States.

July 8, 2011: Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 (STEC O104:H4) Infections Associated with Travel to Germany

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:56:00 EST

As of July 5, 2011, Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI)* reports 852 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)–a type of kidney failure that is associated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or STEC, infections–and 32 deaths associated with HUS.
In the United States, six confirmed cases of STEC O104:H4 infections have been identified. Among these six cases, one death has been reported in an Arizona resident who traveled to Germany before becoming ill.
On June 10, 2011, RKI announced that contaminated raw sprouts from one farm in Germany are the likely source of the outbreak. This farm has been closed and the sprouts produced there are no longer in restaurants or store shelves in Germany. Over the past few weeks, the number of cases associated with this outbreak has markedly decreased.

June 23, 2011: Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 (STEC O104:H4) Infections Associated with Travel to Germany

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:20:00 EST

As of June 22, 2011, Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI)* reports 823 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)–a type of kidney failure that is associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, infections–and 29 deaths associated with HUS.
In the United States, five confirmed cases and one suspect case of STEC O104:H4 infection have been identified. One death has been reported in an Arizona resident who had recently traveled to Germany. This case has not yet been confirmed to have STEC O104:H4 and is currently under investigation.

June 15, 2011: Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 (STEC O104:H4) Infections Associated with Travel to Germany

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:07:00 EST

As of June 14, 2011, Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI)* reports 784 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)–a type of kidney failure that is associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli or STEC infections–and 23 deaths associated with HUS.
In the United States, four confirmed cases and one suspect case of STEC O104:H4 infections have been identified. No deaths have been reported.
RKI has announced that contaminated raw sprouts were the source of the outbreak. The German public health authorities currently recommend that people in Germany not eat raw sprouts of any origin. Travelers to Germany should be aware that the recommendation not to eat cucumbers, tomatoes and leafy salads in northern Germany has been lifted as of June 10.

June 7, 2011: Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 (STEC O104:H4) Infections Associated with Travel to Germany

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:37:00 EST

As of June 6, 2011, case counts confirmed by Germany’s Robert Koch Institute* includes 642 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) – a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli or STEC infections – and 15 deaths associated with STEC O104:H4 infection.

In the United States, one confirmed and three suspected cases of STEC O104:H4 infections have been identified in persons who recently traveled to Hamburg, Germany, where they were likely exposed.

At this time, a specific food has not been confirmed as the source of the infections. German public health authorities advise against eating raw sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, and leafy salads from sources in northern Germany until further notice.

June 3, 2011: Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 (STEC O104:H4) Infections Associated with Travel to Germany

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:03:00 EST

As of June 2, 2011, case counts confirmed by Germany’s Robert Koch Institute include 520 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) – a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli or STEC infections – and 11 deaths. In the United States, four suspected cases of STEC O104:H4 infections have been identified in persons who recently traveled to Hamburg, Germany, where they were likely exposed.

Investigation Announcement: Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 (STEC O104:H4) Infections Associated with Travel to Germany

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:10:00 EST

CDC is monitoring a large outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 (STEC O104:H4) infections ongoing in Germany. The responsible strain shares virulence characteristics with enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). As of May 31, 2011, case counts confirmed by Germany’s Robert Koch Institute* include 470 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) – a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli or STEC infections – and nine deaths.

April 7, 2011: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with In-shell Hazelnuts

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:55:00 EST

As of April 1, 2011, eight persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli serotype O157:H7 were reported from Michigan (1), Minnesota (3), and Wisconsin (4).
Laboratory testing conducted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on in-shell hazelnuts recovered from a patient's home identified E. coli O157:H7 matching patient isolates by DNA analysis.

March 23, 2011: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with Lebanon Bologna

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:03:00 EST

As of March 22, 2011, 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli serotype O157:H7 have been reported from Maryland (3 cases), New Jersey (2 cases), North Carolina (1 case), Ohio (2 cases) and Pennsylvania (6 cases). Reported dates of illness onset range from January 10, 2011 to February 15, 2011. Ill persons range in age from 1 to 70 years, with a median age of 13.5 years. Seventy-nine percent are male. Among 13 ill persons for whom information is known, 3 or 23%, reported being hospitalized, and none have reported hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli O157:H7 infections. No deaths have been reported.

March 10, 2011: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with In-shell Hazelnuts

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:09:00 EST

As of March 9, 2011, seven persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli serotype O157:H7 have been reported from Michigan (1 case), Minnesota (3 cases), and Wisconsin (3 cases). Reported dates of illness onset range from December 20, 2010 to January 28, 2011. Ill persons range in age from 15 to 78 years, with a median age of 62 years; 86% are male. Among ill persons, 43% reported being hospitalized, and none have reported hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure that is associated with E. coli O157:H7 infections. No deaths have been reported.

March 5, 2011 [Announcement]: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with In-shell Hazelnuts

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 09:06:00 EST

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Investigators are using DNA analysis of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak.

Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated with Beef from JBS Swift Beef Company

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST

Several state health departments, CDC, and the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections. On June 24, FSIS issued a notice about a recall of 41,280 pounds of beef products from JBS Swift Beef Company that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. On June 28, the recall was expanded to include 380,000 pounds of assorted pieces of beef (beef primal products) from the same company. Health officials in several states who were investigating reports of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses...

June 30, 2009: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST

As of Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 72 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 30 states. Of these, 51 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; these confirmatory test results are pending on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (2), California (3), Colorado (6), Connecticut (1), Delaware (1), Georgia (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Minnesota (6), Missouri (1), Montana (1), North Carolina (2), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (1)...

June 25, 2009: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:30:00 EST

Persons Infected with the Outbreak Strain of E. coli O157:H7, United States, by State, March 1, 2009 to June 25, 2009

As of Thursday, June 25, 2009, 69 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 29 states. Of these, 46 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; these confirmatory test results are pending on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (2), California (3), Colorado (5), Connecticut (1), Delaware (1), Georgia (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (3), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3)...

June 22, 2009: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:59:00 EST

Infections with the Outbreak Strain of E. coli O157:H7 By Date of Report to PulseNet

As of Monday, June 22, 2009, 70 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 30 states. Of these, 41 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; these confirmatory test results are pending on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (2), California (3), Colorado (5), Connecticut (1), Delaware (1), Georgia (1), Hawaii (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (3), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Minnesota (6), Missouri (2), Montana (1), North Carolina (2)...

June 19, 2009: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Persons Infected with the Outbreak Strain of E. coli O157:H7, United States, by State, March 1, 2009 to June 18, 2009

As of Thursday, June 18, 2009, 65 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 29 states. Of these, 23 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; these confirmatory test results are pending on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arkansas (1), Arizona (2), California (2), Colorado (5), Delaware (1), Hawaii (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2)...