Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Associated with Venison - Vol. 18 No. 2 - February 2012 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC

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Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Associated with Venison - Vol. 18 No. 2 - February 2012 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC

Volume 18, Number 2—February 2012

Dispatch

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Associated with Venison

Article Contents

• The Study
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgments
• References
• Figure 1
• Figure 2
• Table 1
• Table 2
• Suggested Citation

Joshua M. Rounds , Carrie E. Rigdon, Levi J. Muhl, Matthew Forstner, Gregory T. Danzeisen, Bonnie S. Koziol, Charlott Taylor, Bryanne T. Shaw, Ginette L. Short, and Kirk E. Smith

Author affiliations: Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (J.M. Rounds, B.S. Koziol, C. Taylor, G.L. Short, K.E. Smith); Minnesota Department of Agriculture, St. Paul USA (C.E. Rigdon, L.J. Muhl, M. Forstner, G.T. Danzeisen, B.T. Shaw)

Suggested citation for this article

Abstract

We investigated an outbreak of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli at a high school in Minnesota, USA, in November 2010. Consuming undercooked venison and not washing hands after handling raw venison were associated with illness. E. coli O103:H2 and non-Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O145:NM were isolated from ill students and venison.

Non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are emerging pathogens (1,2) but are underrecognized because relatively few clinical laboratories routinely use culture-independent testing methods necessary for their identification (3,4). Ruminants (e.g., cattle, goats) can be colonized by non-O157 STEC and are reservoirs of these organisms. Non-O157 STEC outbreaks have been associated with contaminated food and recreational water and with direct contact with infected animals or humans (2,4,5). However, much is still unknown about sources and risk factors for non-O157 STEC infection.