EHEC Outbreak 2011 Investigation of the Outbreak along the Food Chain

Abstract

In spring 2011, the theme EHEC had consumers, businesses and authorities holding their breath not only in Germany but throughout Europe. The EHEC outbreak between May and July was the biggest bacterial outbreak of Escherichia coli in Germany since World War II. Ultimately, fenugreek seeds contaminated with the enteroaggerative EHEC strain O104:H4 imported from Egypt were identified as the highly likely cause of the outbreak.