Walkerton and XL Foods: A look at some of the major E. coli outbreaks in Canada

The E. coli variant known as 0157 is often the most virulent and can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the kidneys and the ability of blood to clot.

An outbreak of E. coli infections at several Calgary day centres has infected more than 200 people, most of them children.

It’s not the first major outbreak of the food-borne illness, which is caused by bacteria that live in the feces of animals and is carried to humans through undercooked meat, unpasteurized food or contaminated water.

The E. coli variant known as 0157 is often the most virulent and can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the kidneys and the ability of blood to clot.

Here’s a list of some of Canada’s major E. coli 0157 outbreaks:

1980: In one of the first recognized outbreaks of the E. coli, 14 Toronto-area children fell sick with hemolytic uremic syndrome and one of them eventually died. Doctors traced the outbreak to unpasteurized apple juice.

1982: An outbreak in an Ottawa nursing home affected 31 residents. One person died. Undercooked hamburger was the suspected source.

1985: Seventy-three residents and staff in a nursing home in London, Ont., fell sick after eating uncooked meat in sandwiches. Nineteen residents died.

1991: In what was then the Northwest Territories, 521 Inuit in six communities were sickened over several months. Contaminated beef and caribou were considered the likely sources of outbreaks that caused 22 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. Two people died.