Memories of Walkerton: Drinking water in Scotland wells sickens 15 with E. coli O157
Up to 15 people – including children – were this afternoon being treated for E.coli after an outbreak of the bug near Aberdeen.
Seven cases have already been confirmed with a further eight people showing symptoms.
Public health chiefs believe the source is a shared private water supply to eight homes in South Auchinclech, near Westhill.
Aberdeen-based Prof Hugh Pennington, said the source of the contamination was likely to be cattle manure, adding,
“There is quite a strong possibility it got washed into the water supply by heavy rain. The water purification system probably got overwhelmed. … Once somebody’s been affected, we’ve just got to keep our finger crossed.”
E. coli O157 outbreak in Sweden associated with locally produced lettuce
Outbreaks involving fresh produce do happen in other countries -- they're just not so well reported.
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Soderstrom et al. do a nice job in the current Foodborne Pathogens and Disease describing a 2005 outbreak of E. coli O157 in Sweden.
"A total of 135 cases were recorded, including 11 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. The epidemiological investigations implicated lettuce as the most likely source of the outbreak, with an OR of 13.0 (CI 2.94–57.5) in the case–control study. The lettuce was irrigated by water from a small stream, and water samples were positive for Stx 2 by PCR. The identical VTEC O157 Stx 2 positive strain was isolated from the cases and in cattle at a farm upstream from the irrigation point."
Watch that irrigation water.
Soderstrom et al. do a nice job in the current Foodborne Pathogens and Disease describing a 2005 outbreak of E. coli O157 in Sweden."A total of 135 cases were recorded, including 11 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. The epidemiological investigations implicated lettuce as the most likely source of the outbreak, with an OR of 13.0 (CI 2.94–57.5) in the case–control study. The lettuce was irrigated by water from a small stream, and water samples were positive for Stx 2 by PCR. The identical VTEC O157 Stx 2 positive strain was isolated from the cases and in cattle at a farm upstream from the irrigation point."
Watch that irrigation water.
