OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma State Department of Health said it found no specific cause behind an E. coli outbreak last summer at a northeastern Oklahoma restaurant that killed one man and sickened 341 people.
The department on Thursday issued its final report on the investigation of the largest E. coli O111 outbreak documented in the United States.
The report said the source of the August 2008 outbreak was at the Country Cottage buffet restaurant in Locust Grove, Okla., but that a “vehicle for contamination was never found.”
“Because the disease-causing organism was not found, the OSDH was unable to eliminate from consideration any of the potential vehicles for transmission of the bacteria into the restaurant, including well water,” the department said. “Even so, analysis of data collected during the investigation suggests there was ongoing foodborne transmission of E. coli O111 to restaurant customers from Aug. 15-24, 2008.”
Country Cottage closed in August, immediately after it was determined as the source of the outbreak, and reopened in November.
State epidemiologist Kristy Bradley said, “Within 48 hours of being notified of increased cases of persons with bloody diarrhea being admitted to Tulsa-area hospitals, we identified the Country Cottage restaurant as the common source of transmission. The restaurant closed voluntarily and the outbreak was contained.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, only 10 outbreaks involving E. coli O111 had been reported nationally prior to Oklahoma’s outbreak. The bacteria are from the family of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria, or STEC.
The department said people who ingest STEC may have diarrhea ranging from very mild and non-bloody to severe with very bloody stools. The infectious dose is very small, and STEC is often spread by ingesting food items contaminated with fecal matter that are not subsequently cooked.
Other forms of transmission include person-to-person transmission, direct animal contact and waterborne transmission, either from contaminated drinking water or recreational water, the department said.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
