Many other kinds (called serogroups) of STEC cause disease including other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Currently, there are limited public health surveillance data on the occurrence of non-O157 STECs, as many infections may go undiagnosed or unreported. STEC live in the guts of ruminant animals, including cattle, goats, sheep, deer, and elk. The major source for human illnesses is cattle.

Both the number of cases of non-O157 STECs and the rate have steadily increased during the last few years. The 2015 rate of 1.6 cases per 100,000 population of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) increased compared to 2012-2014.

Connecticut Department of Public Health; Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; State Department of Education; Connecticut Department of Agriculture; Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; local public health agencies; infectious disease specialists; primary care providers; hospitals; food and restaurant industry; professional associations; food training providers; schools of agriculture and public health; organizations and coalitions focused on food, agriculture, and the environment; community service providers that focus on food security for at-risk populations; and others

Labs that test for the presence of Shiga toxins in stool can detect non-O157 STEC infections. However, for the O group (serogroup) and other characteristics of non-O157 STEC to be identified, Shiga toxin-positive specimens must be sent to the State Public Health Laboratory. Identifying the specific strain of STEC is essential for finding outbreaks.

Practice proper hygiene, especially good hand washing especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food, after contact with animals or their environments (at farms, petting zoos, fairs, even your own backyard).Follow clean, separate, cook, chill guidelines, which can be found at FoodSafety.gov Cook meats thoroughly. Use a thermometer to verify the temperature, as color is not a very reliable indicator of how thoroughly meat has been cooked. Prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat. Avoid consuming raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices (like fresh apple cider).Avoid swallowing water when swimming and when playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools, and backyard "kiddie" pools. For more information on E. coli O157 infections see: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/

Expand Connecticut Qualified Food Operator (QFO) mandate to include all relevant employee groups in licensed food service establishments.

Update food code/regulations and assure regulatory compliance within the food industry.

Use standard risk-based protocols for FSE inspections and code enforcement across local jurisdictions.

Educate consumers on food safety practices for home and work environments and how to report suspected foodborne illness.

Educate providers and consumers on importance of evaluating and reporting suspected foodborne illness.

Disseminate and enhance guidance and protocols for food protection during extreme events, natural and other disasters.

Ensure appropriate training of food service employees.

Promote engagement of food service establishments (FSE) and food service workers in food safety education programs and application of food safety principles in practice.

Enhance institutional education on food safety practices and compliance with food code/regulations (day care, schools, residential programs, correctional facilities, long term care facilities, facilities serving older adults and immune-compromised populations).

Provide culturally congruent education on food safety for ethnic consumer groups and ethnic food service establishments.

Enhance inspector/sanitarian and industry training, and focus on risk-based inspections through training and field monitoring.

Promote utilization of Connecticut Food Core Program by local health departments with limited foodborne disease follow up capacity.

Ensure that appropriate laboratory infrastructure and systems are in place for more rapid and timely identification and characterization of pathogens.