A family outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome and haemorrhagic colitis caused by verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 from unpasteurised cow's milk in Slovakia

ABSTRACT This report describes a family outbreak of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 (VTEC) infection, involving nine persons from one extended family, which occurred in eastern Slovakia. Three children suffered from haemolytic uraemic syndrome, two children had bloody diarrhoea, and four adults were asymptomatic carriers. Fourteen sorbitol-non-fermenting E. coli O157 isolates harbouring the vtx2, eae and ehxA genes were obtained. Verocytotoxin 2 activity was demonstrated in all 14 isolates. After epidemiological surveillance, the source of infection was identified as unpasteurised cow's milk.