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ATLANTA — Certain serogroups of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli may be especially virulent in cases of foodborne illness, Bridget J. Anderson, Ph.D., reported at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Although O157 is the most common serogroup implicated in severe illness, non-O157 serogroups “are being recognized with increasing frequency in persons with diarrheal illness,” Dr. Anderson wrote in a poster focusing on the epidemiology of non-O157 infections. An analysis of Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network data from 214 cases of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in New York, Connecticut, and Minnesota during 2000–2004 showed that the non-O157 serogroups O145, O111, and O45 may be more virulent than other non-O157 serogroups.
The federally supported Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network program seeks to link foodborne illnesses to specific foods and settings in selected U.S. locations.
Ms. Anderson, of the New York State Department of Health, in Albany, and her colleagues identified 27 non-O157 serogroups among the 214 cases. Of these, O111 was the most common and contributed to 37% of the cases. The O111 serogroup caused 31 cases (14%) in a single outbreak of foodborne illness. Overall, 14% of the patients were hospitalized, for a median of 3 days. Four patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, but no deaths were reported.
Hospitalization was more common among cases associated with O145 than among those associated with other non-O145 serogroups (36% vs. 13%). Cases of O45 also were more likely to involve hospitalization, compared with all other non-O45 cases (30% vs. 12%).
Clinical data were available for 75% of the cases. The age of the patients ranged from 1 month to 88 years, with a median age of 13 years. The most common symptoms of illness were diarrhea (98%), abdominal cramping (83%), and bloody stool (50%). Symptoms lasted for a median of 7 days, and 27% of the patients received antibiotics.
ATLANTA — Certain serogroups of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli may be especially virulent in cases of foodborne illness, Bridget J. Anderson, Ph.D., reported at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Although O157 is the most common serogroup implicated in severe illness, non-O157 serogroups “are being recognized with increasing frequency in persons with diarrheal illness,” Dr. Anderson wrote in a poster focusing on the epidemiology of non-O157 infections. An analysis of Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network data from 214 cases of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in New York, Connecticut, and Minnesota during 2000–2004 showed that the non-O157 serogroups O145, O111, and O45 may be more virulent than other non-O157 serogroups.
The federally supported Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network program seeks to link foodborne illnesses to specific foods and settings in selected U.S. locations.
Ms. Anderson, of the New York State Department of Health, in Albany, and her colleagues identified 27 non-O157 serogroups among the 214 cases. Of these, O111 was the most common and contributed to 37% of the cases. The O111 serogroup caused 31 cases (14%) in a single outbreak of foodborne illness. Overall, 14% of the patients were hospitalized, for a median of 3 days. Four patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, but no deaths were reported.
Hospitalization was more common among cases associated with O145 than among those associated with other non-O145 serogroups (36% vs. 13%). Cases of O45 also were more likely to involve hospitalization, compared with all other non-O45 cases (30% vs. 12%).
Clinical data were available for 75% of the cases. The age of the patients ranged from 1 month to 88 years, with a median age of 13 years. The most common symptoms of illness were diarrhea (98%), abdominal cramping (83%), and bloody stool (50%). Symptoms lasted for a median of 7 days, and 27% of the patients received antibiotics.
ATLANTA — Certain serogroups of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli may be especially virulent in cases of foodborne illness, Bridget J. Anderson, Ph.D., reported at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Although O157 is the most common serogroup implicated in severe illness, non-O157 serogroups “are being recognized with increasing frequency in persons with diarrheal illness,” Dr. Anderson wrote in a poster focusing on the epidemiology of non-O157 infections. An analysis of Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network data from 214 cases of non-O157 shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in New York, Connecticut, and Minnesota during 2000–2004 showed that the non-O157 serogroups O145, O111, and O45 may be more virulent than other non-O157 serogroups.
The federally supported Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network program seeks to link foodborne illnesses to specific foods and settings in selected U.S. locations.
Ms. Anderson, of the New York State Department of Health, in Albany, and her colleagues identified 27 non-O157 serogroups among the 214 cases. Of these, O111 was the most common and contributed to 37% of the cases. The O111 serogroup caused 31 cases (14%) in a single outbreak of foodborne illness. Overall, 14% of the patients were hospitalized, for a median of 3 days. Four patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, but no deaths were reported.
Hospitalization was more common among cases associated with O145 than among those associated with other non-O145 serogroups (36% vs. 13%). Cases of O45 also were more likely to involve hospitalization, compared with all other non-O45 cases (30% vs. 12%).
Clinical data were available for 75% of the cases. The age of the patients ranged from 1 month to 88 years, with a median age of 13 years. The most common symptoms of illness were diarrhea (98%), abdominal cramping (83%), and bloody stool (50%). Symptoms lasted for a median of 7 days, and 27% of the patients received antibiotics.