| Outbreak of E. coli O157 infection in the south west of the UK: risks from streams crossing seaside beaches. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 16645246 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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In August 2004 seven cases of Escherichia coli O157 infection were identified in children on holiday in Cornwall, southwest England, all of whom had stayed at different sites in the area. Isolates from all seven cases were confirmed as E. coli serogroup O157 phage type 21/28. We carried out a case-control study among holidaymakers who visited the beach. A standardised questionnaire was administered by telephone to parents. They were asked where on the beach the children had played, whether they had had contact with the stream that flowed across the beach, and about their use of food outlets and sources of food eaten. Cases were more likely to have played in the stream than controls (OR [1.72- undefined]). The time spent in the stream by cases was twice spent there by controls. Cases and controls were equally exposed to other suspected risk factors. PFGE profiles for all the cases were indistinguishable. Increased numbers of coliforms were found in the stream prior to the outbreak. Cattle were found grazing upstream. We suggest that the vehicle of infection for an outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness caused by E. coli O157 was a contaminated freshwater stream flowing across a seaside beach. The onset dates were consistent with a point source. Heavy rainfall in the days preceding the outbreak might have lead to faeces from the cattle potentially contaminated by E. coli O157 contaminating the stream, thereby leading to the outbreak. Control measures included fencing off the part of the stream in which children played, and putting up warning signs around the beach. |
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Authors:
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C Ihekweazu; M Barlow; S Roberts; H Christensen; B Guttridge; D Lewis; S Paynter |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Euro surveillance : bulletin Européen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin Volume: 11 ISSN: 1560-7917 ISO Abbreviation: Euro Surveill. Publication Date: 2006 |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2006-09-18 Completed Date: 2006-10-12 Revised Date: 2013-05-01 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 100887452 Medline TA: Euro Surveill Country: France |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 128-30 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Health Protection Agency, South West, United Kingdom. |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Bathing Beaches
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statistics & numerical data* Case-Control Studies Child Child, Preschool Disease Outbreaks / statistics & numerical data* Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology*, microbiology Escherichia coli O157 / isolation & purification* Female Great Britain / epidemiology Humans Incidence Male Oceans and Seas Population Surveillance* Risk Assessment / methods* Risk Factors Rivers / microbiology |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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