New York State is in the midst of a large outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 occurring among persons who attended a local fair in Washington County, New York (northeast of Albany). The fair ran from August 23 to 29, but the strongest association with disease appears to be with attendance during the latter days of the fair. To date, there have been well over 600 reported cases of diarrhea, 85 culture confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7, 58 individuals hospitalized, 11 cases of Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS), and one death. Preliminary evidence suggests that contaminated well water at the fair may be responsible for the outbreak.

Physicians should ask any person with recently diagnosed E. coli O157:H7 illness about travel history to Washington County, New York, and attendance at the fair. Identified cases should be reported to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS). Additionally, the NJDHSS encourages physicians to obtain stool cultures on any individual with diarrheal illness that may be associated with attendance at any local fair, either in New Jersey or adjacent states, and request that the stool be examined for E. coli O157:H7 and other enteric pathogens.

It is possible that food vendors who were present at the Washington County Fair may now be present at fairs in New Jersey and may have brought contaminated water with them. We are asking local health officers to visit any fairs within their jurisdictions and determine if any of the vendors present were at the Washington County, New York fair and if so, whether the vendor brought any water from that fair. Any such water identified should be discarded in a sanitary sewer.

If you have any further questions, you may contact the Infectious and Zoonotic Disease Program at (609) 588-7500 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or at (609) 392-2020 during all other hours.