Escherichia coliO157: comparing awareness of rural residents and visitors in livestock farming areas

Abstract

SUMMARYThis research compared public opinions aboutEscherichia coliO157 (an increasing environmental hazard associated with livestock) in two farming areas with contrasting incidence ofE. coliO157 disease. A questionnaire was administered in rural Grampian (10·8 cases/100 000 population per year) and North Wales (2·5 cases/100 000 population per year). Awareness was highest among farmers in Grampian (91%) and lowest among visitors to both areas (28%). Respondents were more likely to indicate vomiting (76%) than bloody diarrhoea (48%) as a common symptom. Undercooked meat and contact with farm animal faeces were identified by 60% of all respondents as risk factors who described ‘basic hygiene’ for risk reduction indoors. Visitors viewE. coliO157 as a food hazard, not an environmental hazard that produces vomiting not dysentery. Efforts to reduce human infections in livestock farming areas could be improved with proximate reminders for visitors of the environmental pathway ofE. coliO157 infection.