Published Date: 1996-11-30 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli 0157:H7 - UK (Scotland)
Archive Number: 19961130.1994

E.COLI 0157:H7 - UK (SCOTLAND)
==============================
Sources: London Daily Telegraph, Glasgow Evening Times Online & other UK
newspaper websites
Via: the OUTBREAK website
http://www.outbreak.org/cgi-reg/dynaserve.exe/ecoliscot.html

Summary
-------
Diarrhea, vomiting, hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS)
Scotland, UK (Wishaw, Lanarkshire, near Glasgow)

Caused by: _E. coli_ 0157:H7

Confirmed cases: 180

Deaths: 5

Date of onset: approx. 17-Nov-96
Date of first report: 25-Nov-96
Source of first report: Outbreak readers in UK, UK newsmedia on Web
Source of infection: cold & cooked meats from butcher shop
Comment
-------
Onset of illness said to have been Tue. 19 Nov. 1996. The first death was a
male, aged 80, on Tues. 26 Nov. Four more elderly patients died on Wed. 27
Nov. 1996. They were a male aged 69 & 3 females aged 69, 69 & 71. Local
hospital lab found "a possible public health problem" on Fri. 22 Nov.
Source traced to steak pies from a local butcher's shop, which is also a
wholesaler in the region, served at a church luncheon on Sun. 17 Nov. The
butcher "agreed to remove all cooked meats from his shop" and gave the Board
of Health a list of businesses to which he sold his products.
On Sat. 23 Nov. the health authorities met. After additional cases occurred
in the nearby Forth Valley, public warnings were issued.
On Mon. 25 Nov. the first attempts were made to withdraw meat products which
had been sold wholesale to other businesses; however this was difficult
because much of the meat was unlabelled.
On Thurs. 28 Nov. a nationwide health warning was issued to discard any
suspect meats.
On Sat. 30 Nov. 50 more cases were notified from around Scotland, making the
total 180 cases. There is strong dissatisfaction with the health
authorities for not releasing more rapidly the names of the meat
distributors involved.
.......................................................jw


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