Here are some statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center:
• Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes 73,000 illnesses in the United States annually.
• E. coli O157 outbreaks reported to CDC from 1982 to 2002 were reviewed.
• In that period, 49 states reported 350 outbreaks representing 8,598 cases, 1,493 (17%) hospitalizations, 354 (4%) hemolytic uremic syndrome cases, and 40 (0.5%) deaths.
• Transmission route for 183 (52%) was foodborne, 74 (21%) unknown, 50 (14%) person-to-person, 31 (9%) waterborne, 11 (3%) animal contact, and 1 (0.3%) laboratory-related.
• The food vehicle for 75 (41%) foodborne outbreaks was ground beef, and for 38 (21%) outbreaks, produce.