Walkerton E. coli outbreak
Walkerton E. coli outbreak
The Walkerton E. coli outbreak (pronounced: wɔːkərtən iː koʊlaɪ aʊtbreɪk) was a significant public health crisis that occurred in the town of Walkerton, Ontario, Canada in May 2000. The outbreak was caused by contamination of the town's water supply with the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli), specifically the O157:H7 strain.
Etymology
The term "Walkerton E. coli outbreak" is derived from the location of the incident, Walkerton, and the causative agent, E. coli. The term "outbreak" is used in epidemiology to describe the occurrence of disease cases in a population at a rate that exceeds what is expected.
Background
The outbreak was traced back to a failure in the town's water treatment system, which allowed contaminated water to be distributed to residents. The contamination was caused by E. coli bacteria, which are commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. The specific strain involved in the outbreak, O157:H7, is known to cause severe illness, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
Impact
The Walkerton E. coli outbreak resulted in seven deaths and more than 2,300 illnesses. It is considered one of the worst public health disasters in Canadian history. The outbreak led to significant changes in water treatment and testing regulations in Ontario and across Canada.
Related Terms
- Escherichia coli
- Epidemiology
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome
- Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
- Water treatment
- Public health
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Walkerton E. coli outbreak
- Wikipedia's article - Walkerton E. coli outbreak
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