A RESTAURANT-ASSOCIATED OUTBREAK OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI O157 INFECTION

An outbreak of haemorrhagic colitis due to Escherichia coli O157 and a ssociated with a restaurant in Lothian, occurred in September 1990. Th ere were 16 symptomatic cases, four of whom (all children) required di alysis. Notable features of the outbreak were the wide range of incuba tion periods (1-14 days), the occurrence of secondary spread through a symptomatic carriers and the prolonged period (at least seven days) du ring which the restaurant appears to have been the source of infection . Despite careful investigation, no single source within the restauran t was identified. The implications for public health are discussed.