ABSTRACT
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In 2011, a signicant and unique foodborne outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) occurred, predominantly in Northern Germany. This event, uncharacteristic of previous STEC outbreaks for many reasons, was retrospectively described as dramatic (Beutin and Martin, 2012), the largest outbreak associated with the specic E. coli serogroup reported in Germany and, in relation to disease outcomes, the largest of its kind worldwide (Burger, 2012). More signicantly, the information later gleaned about the specic characteristics of the pathogen involved and its dissimilarity to other STECs gave cause for a rethink of STEC-related disease in humans (Beutin and Martin, 2012). This case study will focus on the epidemiological investigation of the outbreak, the trace-back investigation to identify the source of infection, the outbreak management strategies employed to minimize/prevent further cases, the lessons learned, and lastly, directions for future investigations.
