Primary and secondary cases in Escherichia coli O157 outbreaks: a statistical analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Within outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157), at least 10-15% of cases are thought to have been acquired by secondary transmission. However, there has been little systematic quantification or characterisation of secondary outbreak cases worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterise secondary outbreak cases, estimate the overall proportion of outbreak cases that were the result of secondary transmission and to analyse the relationships between primary and secondary outbreak cases by mode of transmission, country and median age.

Methods

Published data was obtained from 90 confirmed Escherichia coli O157 outbreaks in Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, Canada, the United States and Japan, and the outbreaks were described in terms of modes of prima

SUBMITTER: Snedeker KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2741466 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature