Outbreak of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 in a Child Care Center in Cook County, Illinois, with Prolonged Shedding and Household Transmission

During the investigation of an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a child care center, illness logs were reviewed and parents interviewed to identify classroom and household exposures.

Costs incurred by the center and the public health laboratory were estimated from self-administered questionnaires. We conclude that household transmission played a role in this outbreak and estimate the cost of investigation and intervention at over $6,000 per case.