Contaminated Stream Water as Source for Escherichia coli O157 Illness in Children

Abstract

In May 2016, an outbreak of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli O157 infections occurred among children who had played in a stream flowing through a park. Analysis of E. coli isolates from the patients, stream water, and deer and coyote scat showed that feces from deer were the most likely source of contamination.

Keywords

• Shiga toxin
• Escherichia coli O157
• deer
• water
• bacteria
• children