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Public Health Notice - Outbreak of E.coli infections
August 24, 2015
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The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners to investigate an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157, commonly called E.coli. A specific source or product has not been identified yet, and the investigation is ongoing. The Agency will update Canadians when new information becomes available.
At this time, the risk to Canadians is low. However, Canadians are reminded to follow safe food handling practices to avoid illness.
E. coli are bacteria that live naturally in the intestines of cattle, poultry and other animals. Primary sources of E. coli illness are raw or undercooked meat products, raw dairy products, and raw fruits and vegetables that have come in contact with feces from infected animals. Most E. coli are harmless to humans, but some varieties carry genes that allow them to cause illness.
Most people with an E. coli infection are ill for a few days and then recover fully, however infections can sometimes be life threatening.
Ongoing Investigation
There have been 24 cases of E.coli with a matching genetic fingerprint reported in Alberta (1), Ontario (7), Quebec (14) and Nova Scotia (2). Individuals became sick between July 12 and August 8, 2015, with the peak of illnesses reported to date occurring between July 25 and August 1, 2015. The majority of cases (63%) were male, with an average age of 24 years. Five cases have been hospitalized but all have recovered or are recovering.
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http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/phn-asp/2...150824-eng.php
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Epidemiological information: Outbreak of E.coliinfections
Epidemiology is the study of disease in a population. Epidemiologists, or "disease detectives," use surveillance systems to identify those who are sick and confirm that the sick people are part of this event. They then gather information from the people who got sick and review the clues from all parts of the investigation that might reveal the cause of the illness event.
The figure below forms part of the epidemiological investigation into this outbreak. An "epi curve" (Figure 1) is a valuable reference tool in any epidemiological investigation. An epi curve shows when cases begin, when they peak, and when they trail off. Certain details of the people who got sick (Table 1) also help epidemiologists as they work to solve the questions involved in foodborne illness.
Figure 1. Number of people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli*
Text equivalent for figure 1
* Information available for 24 of 24 cases
Data current as of Aug 24 at 3:00 pm
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/phn-asp/2...150824-eng.php
August 24, 2015
...
The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners to investigate an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157, commonly called E.coli. A specific source or product has not been identified yet, and the investigation is ongoing. The Agency will update Canadians when new information becomes available.
At this time, the risk to Canadians is low. However, Canadians are reminded to follow safe food handling practices to avoid illness.
E. coli are bacteria that live naturally in the intestines of cattle, poultry and other animals. Primary sources of E. coli illness are raw or undercooked meat products, raw dairy products, and raw fruits and vegetables that have come in contact with feces from infected animals. Most E. coli are harmless to humans, but some varieties carry genes that allow them to cause illness.
Most people with an E. coli infection are ill for a few days and then recover fully, however infections can sometimes be life threatening.
Ongoing Investigation
There have been 24 cases of E.coli with a matching genetic fingerprint reported in Alberta (1), Ontario (7), Quebec (14) and Nova Scotia (2). Individuals became sick between July 12 and August 8, 2015, with the peak of illnesses reported to date occurring between July 25 and August 1, 2015. The majority of cases (63%) were male, with an average age of 24 years. Five cases have been hospitalized but all have recovered or are recovering.
...
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/phn-asp/2...150824-eng.php
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Epidemiological information: Outbreak of E.coliinfections
August 24, 2014
What is epidemiology?Epidemiology is the study of disease in a population. Epidemiologists, or "disease detectives," use surveillance systems to identify those who are sick and confirm that the sick people are part of this event. They then gather information from the people who got sick and review the clues from all parts of the investigation that might reveal the cause of the illness event.
The figure below forms part of the epidemiological investigation into this outbreak. An "epi curve" (Figure 1) is a valuable reference tool in any epidemiological investigation. An epi curve shows when cases begin, when they peak, and when they trail off. Certain details of the people who got sick (Table 1) also help epidemiologists as they work to solve the questions involved in foodborne illness.
Figure 1. Number of people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli*
Text equivalent for figure 1
| Case count | 24 |
| Provinces/Territories | 4 |
| Hospitalizations | 5 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Gender (m:f) | 15:9 |
| Age range in years | 3-77 |
| Recall | No |
Data current as of Aug 24 at 3:00 pm
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/phn-asp/2...150824-eng.php
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