More than 2,000 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) were reported in England in 2022, an increase of almost 80 percent from the year before.

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 2,063 cultured-confirmed cases of STEC were reported, an increase of 79.2 percent compared to 1,151 in 2021.

UKHSA said during 2020 and 2021 it was likely that the COVID-19 pandemic and measures to control transmission of the virus affected reports of STEC infections to national surveillance in several ways.

E. coli O157 figures
There were 762 culture-confirmed cases of STEC O157 in England in 2022, more than double the 365 recorded in 2021 and higher than pre-pandemic levels. It is the highest rate in almost a decade and halts the downward trend seen since 2015. A large outbreak with 195 cases contributed to the increase, but does not totally explain the rise, said UKHSA.

More up to date figures show 538 STEC O157 cases in 2023 and 567 in 2024.

The highest incidence in 2022 was in the North East and the lowest was in London. Of 762 confirmed STEC O157 cases, 417 were female.

STEC O157 infections usually peak in the summer months of July or August. However, in 2022 infections peaked in September because of a large UK-wide outbreak.

In total, 223 of 722 confirmed STEC O157 cases were hospitalized and 13 developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is a clinical syndrome related to E. coli, which can lead to kidney failure and death. Three adult deaths were reported among STEC O157 c...