GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON ESCHERICHIA-COLI O157-H7 AND OTHER VEROCYTOTOXIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI SPP - UK VIEWS

This paper is based on the findings of a verocytotoxic Escherichia col i (VTEC) Working Group of the UK Advisory Committee on the Microbiolog ical Safety of Food. In 1994, 95% of UK diagnostic laboratories examin ed selected, usually bloody diarrheal, stool samples for E. coli O157: H7. The Group recommended that all diarrheal stool samples should be s o examined. Most cases of VTEC infection in the UK are caused by E. co li O157:H7. The number of fecal isolates rose from 1 in 1982 to a prov isional 1,039 in 1995. VTEC infection is most common in summer and in the 0- to 4-year-old age group. Overall, about 10% of patients with he morrhagic colitis develop the hemolytic uremic syndrome. Most hemorrha gic colitis outbreaks affect fewer than 10 people. Between 1992 and 19 94 there were 18 general outbreaks, 8 of which were considered to be f oodborne. In the United Kingdom E. coli O157:H7 has been found in abou t 0.5% of bovine carcasses and in the feces of about 1% of live cattle . The UK government is funding a wide variety of VTEC research. Guidel ines on public health measures to control VTEC infection have been pub lished. Industry has been urged to adopt Hazard Analysis Critical Cont rol Point systems. Industry has also been urged to label raw ground be ef and ground beef products with cooking instructions that should be c apable of achieving an internal temperature of 70 degrees C for 2 min or the equivalent ''so that the burger's juices run clear and there ar e no pink bits inside.''