Author:
TUTTLE J.,GOMEZ T.,DOYLE M. P.,WELLS J. G.,ZHAO T.,TAUXE R. V.,GRIFFIN P. M.
Abstract
Between November 1992 and February 1993, a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7
infections occurred in the western USA and was associated with eating ground beef patties at
restaurants of one fast-food chain. Restaurants that were epidemiologically linked with cases
served patties produced on two consecutive dates; cultures of recalled ground beef patties
produced on those dates yielded E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 strains indistinguishable from those isolated
from patients, confirming the vehicle of illness. Seventy-six ground beef patty samples were
cultured quantitatively for E. coli O157[ratio ]H7. The median most probable number of organisms
was 1·5 per gram (range, <0·3–15) or 67·5 organisms
per patty (range, <13·5–675). Correlation
of the presence of E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 with other bacterial indicators yielded a significant
association between coliform count and the presence of E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 (P=0·04). A meat
traceback to investigate possible sources of contamination revealed cattle were probably
initially colonized with E. coli O157[ratio ]H7, and that their slaughter caused surface contamination
of meat, which once combined with meat from other sources, resulted in a large number of
contaminated ground beef patties. Microbiological testing of meat from lots consumed by
persons who became ill was suggestive of an infectious dose for E. coli O157[ratio ]H7 of fewer than
700 organisms. These findings present a strong argument for enforcing zero tolerance for this
organism in processed food and for markedly decreasing contamination of raw ground beef.
Process controls that incorporate microbiological testing of meat may assist these efforts.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Epidemiology
Cited by
293 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献