--- title: E. coli Outbreaks date: 2018-01-17T03:51:00-08:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-outbreaks" section: Resource Library --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) / # E. coli Outbreaks ### Outbreaks Caused by Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing *E. coli* Worldwide, non-O157 STEC outbreaks began being recognized in the 1980s, and the first reported outbreak in the United States occurred in 1990. Prior to 2000, only four non-O157 STEC outbreaks were identified in the United States, two of them in 1999. From 2000 through 2010, more than 40 non-O157 STEC outbreaks were identified. Almost half of them were foodborne, but many were due to person-to-person transmission, particularly in child daycare settings. Occasional outbreaks were due to waterborne transmission or contact with ruminant animals (*e.g.*, calves, goats) in public animal contact settings. To date, food sources of non-O157 STEC outbreaks have generally been very similar to those for *E. coli* O157, including ground beef, leafy greens, sprouts, raw milk, raw flour, bison, and venison ([](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks.html)[https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outb...](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks.html)). Transmission from contact with ruminant animals or their environments at venues like petting zoos and fairs is also important. An extraordinary, devastating outbreak occurred primarily in Germany beginning in May 2011. The *E. coli* serotype involved was *E. coli* O104:H4. While technically a STEC (because it produced Shiga toxin), this pathogen was not a typical STEC strain; rather, it was a hybrid between STEC and the diarrheagenic pathotype known as enteroaggregative *E. coli* (EAEC). It was also extremely virulent. Ultimately, the outbreak sickened over 4,300 people, caused 852 cases of HUS, and killed more than 50 people, primarily previously healthy young adult females. Part of the extreme virulence of this strain can be attributed to the fact that it possessed the Shiga toxin 2a variant, which is the most common variant associated with HUS. However, this strain also possessed additional virulence factors not typically found in STEC strains. The disproportionately large involvement of adult women was likely due to the outbreak vehicle – sprouts grown from fenugreek seeds from Egypt. This outbreak was the most spectacular and terrifying example of the emergence of hybrid or unusual strains of STEC that have increased ability to cause severe disease. This increasingly recognized phenomenon results from the ability of different pathotypes of diarrheagenic *E. coli* to acquire virulence factors from other *E. coli* strains when they co-infect the intestines of animals or people. Other examples of *E. coli* outbreaks are included below: [ Next: Real Life Impacts of E. coli Infection and HUS › ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/real-life-impacts-of-e-coli-infection-and-hus) ### More information about E. coli [November 08, 2022 ###### 16 days hospitalized: Summer E. Coli outbreak linked to Wendy's takes a toll on Michiganders The Marler Clark, E. coli attorneys represent 48 victims of the Wendy's E. coli outbreak. A total of 109 people from six states, including New York, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/16-days-hospitalized-summer-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-wendys-takes-a-toll-on-michiganders) [September 27, 2022 ###### Chipotle E. coli Outbreak (2015) The initial, larger STEC O26 outbreak was first detected by public health officials in Washington and Oregon through local foodborne disease surveillance. In late October 2015, officials in those states ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/chipotle-e-coli-outbreak-multistate-2015) [June 04, 2022 ###### E. coli Outbreak linked to Pennsylvania Pool On June 7, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) received multiple complaints of gastrointestinal illness from patrons of a community swimming pool. Two patrons reported positive Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-pennsylvania-pool) [April 28, 2022 ###### Goat contact in Virginia linked to E. coli illnesses The Loudoun County Health Department is notifying the public of the exposure to a specific type of bacterium, called Shiga Toxin Producing E. coli (STEC), by several people who came ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/goat-contact-in-virginia-linked-to-e-coli-illnesses) [1. View all ](/news_events/outbreaks?illness=e-coli&year=all) ## Recent E. coli Outbreaks [2026 ###### Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product ](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [2025 ###### 10 with E. coli linked to Cheese ](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [2025 ###### Sycamore Pool in Chico California Contaminated with E.coli - Two teens in ICU ](https://marlerclark.com/sycamore-pool-in-chico-california-contaminated-with-e-coli-two-teens-in-icu) [2024 ###### Deadly Nationwide E.coli Outbreak Linked to Grimmway Farms Organic Baby and Whole Carrots sickens 48 ](https://marlerclark.com/nationwide-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-grimmway-farms-organic-baby-and-whole-carrots) [2024 ###### E. coli Outbreak tied to Red Cow and Hen House Restaurants ](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-tied-to-red-cow-and-hen-house-restaurants) [2024 ###### Rockwood Summit High School E. coli Outbreak ](https://marlerclark.com/rockwood-summit-high-school-e-coli-outbreak) [2024 ###### McDonalds linked to 104 E. coli cases and 1 Death ](https://marlerclark.com/mcdonalds-linked-to-nearly-50-e-coli-cases-and-1-death) [2024 ###### 2 dead with 22 injured in E. coli Hamburger Outbreak in Montana ](https://marlerclark.com/1-dead-with-13-injured-in-e-coli-hamburger-outbreak-in-montana) [2024 ###### E. coli Outbreak in Washington and California linked to Walnuts ](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-in-washington-and-california-linked-to-walnuts) Load more cases ## All E. coli Resources [###### E. coli Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) [###### E. coli O157:H7 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) [###### Non-O157 STEC ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) [###### Sources of E. coli ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) [###### Transmission of and Infection with E. coli ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) [###### Symptoms of E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/symptoms-of-e-coli-infection) [###### Complications of E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/complications-of-e-coli-infection) [###### Treatment for E. coli infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/treatment-for-e-coli-infection) [###### How is E. coli Infection Diagnosed? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/how-is-e-coli-infection-diagnosed) [###### Preventing E. coli Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/preventing-e-coli-infection) [###### E. coli Outbreaks ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-outbreaks) [###### Real Life Impacts of E. coli Infection and HUS ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/real-life-impacts-of-e-coli-infection-and-hus) [###### E. coli Recalls ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-recalls) [###### References ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/references) ### Other foodborne illnesses [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)