Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38858856›Full record

ArticleZoonoses and public health2024

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with school field trips at a farm animal exhibit-Tennessee, September-October 2023.

Christine M Thomas, Allison Foster, Sarah Boop, David Kirschke, Hopelyn Mooney, Isabella Reid, Andrew S May, Heather Mullins, Katie N Garman, Mugdha Golwalkar and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Zoonoses and public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Uncommon pathogen, common activity:Frontiers in public health · 2026
    Article
  2. Increased detection of Shiga toxin-producingEpidemiology and infection · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Christine M ThomasTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2610-6797
Allison FosterTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Sarah BoopTennessee Department of Health, Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA.
David KirschkeTennessee Department of Health, Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA.
Hopelyn MooneyTennessee Department of Health, Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA.
Isabella ReidTennessee Department of Health, Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA.
Andrew S MaySullivan County Regional Health Department, Blountville, Tennessee, USA.
Heather MullinsSullivan County Regional Health Department, Blountville, Tennessee, USA.
Katie N GarmanTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Mugdha GolwalkarTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Jack H MarrTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Kelly OrejuelaTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Danny RipleyTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Robin RasnicTennessee Department of Health Division of Laboratory Services, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Erica TerrellTennessee Department of Health Division of Laboratory Services, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Lisa M DursoAgricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
William SchaffnerVanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Timothy F JonesTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Mary-Margaret A FillTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
John R DunnTennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Funding

Intramural CDC HHS CC999999
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsIn October 2023, the Tennessee Department of Health identified an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 infections among elementary school students who attended school field trips to the same farm animal exhibit. Our aim was to determine STEC source and prevent additional illnesses by initiating epidemiologic, laboratory and environmental investigations. METHODS AND

resultsWe identified cases using laboratory-based surveillance and by surveying caregivers of children who attended the exhibit. Probable cases were defined as illness with abdominal cramps or diarrhoea after attendance; confirmed cases were laboratory-confirmed STEC infection in an attendee or household contact. A site visit was conducted, and event organizers were interviewed. Human stool, animal faeces and environmental samples were tested for STEC O157:H7 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), culture and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Approximately 2300 elementary school students attended the animal exhibit during 2 days. Field trip activities included contact with different farm animal species, drinking pasteurized milk outside animal enclosures and eating lunch in a separate building onsite. We received survey responses from 399 caregivers for 443 (19%) animal exhibit attendees. We identified 9 confirmed and 55 probable cases with illness onset dates during 26 September to 12 October. Seven children aged 1-7 years were hospitalized. Four children aged 1-6 years experienced haemolytic uraemic syndrome; none died. Laboratory testing identified STEC O157:H7 by culture from eight human stool samples with 0-1 allele difference by WGS. Three environmental samples had Shiga toxin (stx 2) genes detected by PCR, but no STEC isolates were recovered by culture.

conclusionsThis is the largest reported STEC O157:H7 outbreak associated with an animal exhibit in Tennessee. We identified opportunities for educating school staff, event organizers and families about zoonotic disease risks associated with animal contact and published prevention measures.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksEscherichia coli InfectionsSchoolsAnimalsAnimals, DomesticChildChild, PreschoolEscherichia coli O157FemaleHumansMaleShiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coliTennesseeagritourismfairhaemolytic uraemic syndromepetting zoo

Identifiers

PMID38858856
PMCPMC11951936

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.