New Jersey STEC Surveillance Case Report

coli bacteria that cause disease by making the Shiga toxin are called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and is the strain of E. coli commonly associated with foodborne outbreaks. Symptoms of the disease may include bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). There is no evidence that antibiotics treat the infection, and in fact, the use of antibiotics may increase the risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome. Due to the complexity of the strain, the disease typically requires confirmation by both clinical laboratories and public health laboratories. The New Jersey STEC Surveillance Case Report app can be completed by a health investigator about a STEC case and submitted to the health department. With the app, the health investigator will collect demographic information and record clinical information reported such as the symptoms of the illness including bloody diarrhea, hospitalization required, diagnosis of HUS or kidney failure. The report includes an exhaustive list of questions to help identify the source of the foodborne illness. Careful analysis of the results of the case investigation can be used in establishing the source of the infection and identifying risk factors that would contribute to disease outbreaks. This app is an essential tool for gathering public health surveillance data and supporting infectious disease control and prevention.