Health officials in Athens County are investigating four laboratory-confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, known as STEC, and have not yet identified a source for the infections, according to the Athens City-County Health Department. The department announced the investigation in a Nov. 11 press release, reported by WSAZ and the J News Network, and said its staff are working to determine how the infections happened, whether there is a common source, and whether any risk to the public continues.
The department’s release did not include information about the people who tested positive, and no source for the infections has been identified, according to the J News Network, which based its report on the department’s Nov. 11 press release. The department’s contact for the announcement is Jack Pepper, who can be reached at 740-592-4431, the J News Network reported.
STEC infections are a familiar public-health concern in Ohio. The bacteria can spread through contaminated food or water and through contact with animals or infected people, and illness can range from mild stomach cramps and diarrhea to severe complications, particularly for young children and older adults. Health officials generally urge anyone with severe symptoms — especially bloody diarrhea, dehydration or a high fever — to seek medical care promptly and to tell their provider about a possible E. coli infection.
Athens County, home to Ohio University and about 62,000 residents, is the setting for the investigation. Four confirmed cases is a small cluster, but clusters like this one matter because a shared source — a restaurant, a grocery item, a fair or farm visit, or a water exposure — can keep producing new cases until it is found. That is why the department’s release emphasized the three open questions: how the infections occurred, whether they share a common source, and whether a continuing risk exists.
The Athens Messenger first reported the department’s announcement, according to the Marler Blog’s summary of the investigation. As of the department’s announcement, officials had not named any business, food product or location connected to the cases, and no recall or public warning about a specific product had been issued.
What we know — and what we’re still waiting on: What is confirmed, from the Athens City-County Health Department’s own release, is four laboratory-confirmed STEC cases in Athens County and an active investigation. What is not yet known is the source of the infections, whether the cases are linked to each other, and whether health officials will identify any place or product the public should avoid. Those answers will come from the department’s case interviews and laboratory work in the coming days.
Residents can help in the meantime with the basics that health departments repeat in every enteric-disease investigation: wash hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling animals; cook ground beef to a safe temperature; avoid unpasteurized milk and juices; and keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods. Anyone in Athens County who develops severe diarrheal illness should contact a health care provider and can reach the Athens City-County Health Department at 740-592-4431 for guidance.