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The City of Hamilton is continuing its investigation of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infection. The Ontario Central Public Health Laboratory in Toronto has matched the E. coli O157:H7 from left-over haggis samples to E. coli O157:H7 found in stool samples using DNA testing methods. The samples of left-over haggis were recovered from the home refrigerators of three families that had attended the event. The Haggis was sold from a meat shop in Hamilton during the period up to and including 25 January 2003. The affected product was sold in packages of various weights without any specific code or UPC. Sixty-one of 236 people interviewed to date have reported illness; 15 cases have been laboratory confirmed. Nine persons were hospitalized. To this point in its investigation, the Social and Public Health Services Department has not detected any evidence of this product causing E. coli related illness outside of this event. The investigation began on 26 January with the notification of three cases of illness. The illness was traced back to a single social event held in Hamilton on 18 January where haggis was served.
Source: News Release, City of Hamilton, 4 February 2003