Factors involved in recent outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Scotland and recommendations for its control
1998
Pennington, H.
This paper describes an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that occurred in central Scotland. Edipemioligical and microbiological evidence has indicated that the outbreak was comprised of several separate but related incidents, relating to the lunch (attend by around 100 people) held in Wishaw Parish Church Hall, a birthday party held in a public house on November 23, 1996 and retail sales in Lanarkshire and Forth Valley. All isolates of E. coli O157:H7 from individuals in the outbreak belonged to phage type 2 and possessed the verocytotoxin gene VT2. Two hundred sixty-two of these isolates have been subjected to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE): all had indistinguishable profiles. There were 496 cases in total. There have been 20 deaths (all adults) associated with the outbreak, the highest number of deaths associated with an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infection in the world. Of these, 8 people had attended the luncheon served at Wishaw Old Parish Church on November 27, 1996. The age range of those who died was 69 to 93 years. The outbreak was investigated by the Pennington Group who concluded that the circumstances of the central Scotland outbreak, and the inevitable uncertainties that may surround outbreaks generally, provide strong justification for the precautionary, preventative measures proposed and the recommendations made.
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