Invasive Enteropathic Escherichia coli Dysentery

Twenty-eight of 37 persons between the ages of 20 and 55 years developed acute dysentery in from 24 to 48 hours after eating contaminated, imported French Camembert cheese. An O124 Escherichia coli was isolated from the cheese and from the stools of nine ill individuals. Biological testing showed this organism to be invasive in character. The predominant symptoms were fever, malaise, tenesmus, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. None of the patients required hospitalization or antibiotic therapy, and most were asymptomatic within 1 week. This epidemic was part of the first known outbreak of invasive E. coli dysentery in adults that occurred in the United States.