Volume 11, Number 4—April 2005
Research
Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreaks, United States, 1982–2002
Josefa M. Rangel*†
, Phyllis H. Sparling*, Collen Crowe*, Patricia M. Griffin*, and David L. Swerdlow*
, Phyllis H. Sparling*, Collen Crowe*, Patricia M. Griffin*, and David L. Swerdlow*Table
Outbreaks and cases of Escherichia coli O157 infection by transmission route, 1982–2002
| Transmission route | Outbreaks | Outbreak size | Cases | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Total (%) | Foodborne (%) | Median (range) | n | Total (%) | Foodborne (%) | |
| Foodborne | 183 | 52 | 11 (2–736) | 5,269 | 61 | ||
| Ground beef | 75 | 21 | 41 | 8 (2–732) | 1,760 | 20 | 33 |
| Unknown food vehicle | 42 | 12 | 23 | 8 (2–86) | 646 | 8 | 12 |
| Produce | 38 | 11 | 21 | 20 (2–736) | 1,794 | 21 | 34 |
| Other beef | 11 | 3 | 6 | 17 (2–323) | 563 | 7 | 11 |
| Other food vehicle | 10 | 5 | 6 | 15 (2–47) | 206 | 2 | 4 |
| Dairy product | 7 | 2 | 4 | 8 (2–202) | 300 | 3 | 6 |
| Unknown transmission route | 74 | 21 | 4 (2–140) | 812 | 9 | ||
| Person-to-person | 50 | 14 | 7 (2–63) | 651 | 8 | ||
| Recreational water | 21 | 6 | 8 (2–45) | 280 | 3 | ||
| Animal contact | 11 | 3 | 5 (2–111) | 319 | 4 | ||
| Drinking water | 10 | 3 | 26 (2–781) | 1,265 | 15 | ||
| Laboratory-related | 1 | <1 | 2 | 2 | <1 | ||
| Total | 350 | 8,598 | |||||
