Epidemiology and Infection
- Epidemiology and Infection / Volume 140 / Issue 08 / August 2012, pp 1400-1413
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011 The online version of this article is published within an Open Access environment subject to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/>. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use.
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268811002111 (About DOI), Published online: 18 November 2011
- OPEN ACCESS
E. coli O157
Large outbreak of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 infection in visitors to a petting farm in South East England, 2009
C. IHEKWEAZUa1 c1, K. CARROLLa1, B. ADAKa2, G. SMITHa2, G. C. PRITCHARDa3, I. A. GILLESPIEa2, N. Q. VERLANDERa2, L. HARVEY-VINCEa1, M. REACHERa1, O. EDEGHEREa1, B. SULTANa1, R. COOPERa1, G. MORGANa1, P. T. N. KINROSSa1, N. S. BOXALLa2, A. IVERSENa1 and G. BICKLERa1
a1 Health Protection Agency, Health Protection Service, UK
a2 Health Protection Agency, Centre for Infections, London, UK
a3 Veterinary Laboratories Agency, UK
SUMMARY
In the summer of 2009, an outbreak of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 (VTEC O157) was identified in visitors to a large petting farm in South East England. The peak attack rate was 6/1000 visitors, and highest in those aged <2 years (16/1000). We conducted a case-control study with associated microbiological investigations, on human, animal and environmental samples. We identified 93 cases; 65 primary, 13 secondary and 15 asymptomatic. Cases were more likely to have visited a specific barn, stayed for prolonged periods and be infrequent farm visitors. The causative organism was identified as VTEC O157 PT21/28 with the same VNTR profile as that isolated in faecal specimens from farm animals and the physical environment, mostly in the same barn. Contact with farm livestock, especially ruminants, should be urgently reviewed at the earliest suspicion of a farm-related VTEC O157 outbreak and appropriate risk management procedures implemented without delay.
(Accepted September 28 2011)
(Online publication November 18 2011)
Key Words:
Correspondence:
c1 Author for correspondence: Dr C. Ihekweazu, Health Protection Agency, South East Region, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SZ, UK. (Email: chikwe.ihekweazu@hpa.org.uk)
