Latest CDC Roundup Indicates 5,309 E. coli Cases for 2008
E. coli O157:H7 has been a nationally notifiable disease with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1994. National surveillance for all Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) began in 2001.
This week, the CDC released its latest annual Summary of Notifiable Diseases and it covers calendar year 2008.
According to the report, there was a total in 2008 of 5,309 U.S. confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The report did not break down the total by serotype, but O157:H7 is dominant. The report does not analyze growth patterns, but when comparing to totals in the two previous years there has been an upward trend in total cases.
In 2006, the total number of U.S. confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli was 4,432. One year later, the total increased to 4,847.
Normally, cases spike in warmer months and drop off in early winter. That was the case in 2008 — as the breakdown showed 843 cases for August and 668 cases for July — the two highest monthly totals for the year. The lowest monthly total was 147 in February 2008.
You can see CDC’s 2008 Summary of Notifiable Diseases in its entirety on the CDC website.
Healthy cattle, which harbor the organism in their intestines, are the main animal reservoir of STEC. Most reported outbreaks are caused by contaminated food or water. During 2004, a substantial decline in reported O157:H7 STEC cases led to an incidence rate that met the Healthy People 2010 goal of less than 1 case per 100,000 population; since then, the incidence has increased.
Tags: e coli O157, E. coli Outbreak
