TY - JOUR AU - Heiman, Katherine AU - Mody, Rajal AU - Johnson, Shacara AU - Griffin, Patricia AU - Gould, L. Hannah T1 - Escherichia coli O157 Outbreaks in the United States, 2003–2012 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2015 VL - 21 IS - 8 SP - 1293 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Infections with the Shiga toxin–producing bacterium Escherichia coli O157 can cause severe illness and death. We summarized reported outbreaks of E. coli O157 infections in the United States during 2003–2012, including demographic characteristics of patients and epidemiologic findings by transmission mode and food category. We identified 390 outbreaks, which included 4,928 illnesses, 1,272 hospitalizations, and 33 deaths. Transmission was through food (255 outbreaks, 65%), person-to-person contact (39, 10%), indirect or direct contact with animals (39, 10%), and water (15, 4%); 42 (11%) had a different or unknown mode of transmission. Beef and leafy vegetables, combined, were the source of >25% of all reported E. coli outbreaks and of >40% of related illnesses. Outbreaks attributed to foods generally consumed raw caused higher hospitalization rates than those attributed to foods generally consumed cooked (35% vs. 28%). Most (87%) waterborne E. coli outbreaks occurred in states bordering the Mississippi River. KW - Escherichia coli O157 KW - disease outbreaks KW - epidemiology KW - bacteria KW - United States KW - outbreaks KW - foodborne infections KW - Food Safety DO - 10.3201/eid2108.141364 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/8/14-1364_article ER - End of Reference