Combining risk assessment and epidemiological risk factors to elucidate the sources of human E. coli O157 infection

E. coli O157 can be transmitted to humans by three primary (foodborne, environmental, waterborne) and one secondary (person-to-person transmission) pathways. A regression model and quantitative microbiological risk assessments (QMRAs) were applied to determine the relative importance of the primary...

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Published inEpidemiology and infection Vol. 140; no. 8; pp. 1414 - 1429
Main Authors ROTARIU, O., OGDEN, I. D., MacRITCHIE, L., FORBES, K. J., WILLIAMS, A. P., CROSS, P., HUNTER, C. J., TEUNIS, P. F. M., STRACHAN, N. J. C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2012
Subjects
Animals
Beef cattle
Cattle
E coli
E. coli O157
Epidemics
Epidemiology
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology
Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology
Escherichia coli O157 - isolation & purification
Feces - microbiology
Food contamination & poisoning
Food Microbiology
Humans
Infections
Meat - microbiology
Pastures
Pathogens
Population density
Predisposing factors
Proxy reporting
Proxy statements
Regression analysis
Risk analysis
Risk assessment
Risk Factors
Rural areas
Scotland - epidemiology
Sheep
Socioeconomic factors
Time Factors
Water Microbiology
Scotland
Canada
United Kingdom > UK
United States > US
British Isles, Scotland
epidemiology
risk assessment
E. coli O157
Beefburgers
waterborne infection
food poisoning
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Summary:E. coli O157 can be transmitted to humans by three primary (foodborne, environmental, waterborne) and one secondary (person-to-person transmission) pathways. A regression model and quantitative microbiological risk assessments (QMRAs) were applied to determine the relative importance of the primary transmission pathways in NE Scotland. Both approaches indicated that waterborne infection was the least important but it was unclear whether food or the environment was the main source of infection. The QMRAs over-predicted the number of cases by a factor of 30 and this could be because all E. coli O157 strains may not be equally infective and/or the level of infectivity in the dose–response model was too high. The efficacy of potential risk mitigation strategies to reduce human exposure to E. coli O157 using QMRAs was simulated. Risk mitigation strategies focusing on food and environment are likely to have the biggest impact on infection figures.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
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ISSN:0950-2688
1469-4409
DOI:10.1017/S0950268811001646