Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency) and Livsmedelsverket (National Food Agency) said it appears to be one of the biggest outbreaks of infections from the potentially deadly pathogen that the country has ever had. Sweden usually records about 30 to 50 domestic cases during July.
The bacteria behind the outbreak is Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). The outbreak strain, EHEC O157:H7, is known for its high virulence. Infections have been reported from several counties, but mainly Uppsala and Västra Götaland.
Folkhälsomyndigheten told Food Safety News that through mid-August it had found 54 cases linked to a specific EHEC type through whole genome sequencing. An additional 50 cases/isolates are suspected and are under investigation to see whether they belong to the outbreak or not.
“The national outbreak team is investigating if there initially was (or is) a common foodborne source behind these cases. Locally there could have been person to person spread via bathing in lakes,” said a spokeswoman.
Symptoms include abdominal cramps and diarrhea that may become bloody. The incubation period can range from three to eight days. Most otherwise healthy adults recover within 10 days.
