Source of European E. coli Remains a Mystery

HAMBURG, Germany -- To those hoping to know the cause of Europe's mysterious E. coli epidemic, Tuesday brought only baffling news as German health officials announced that Spanish cucumbers were not the source of the outbreak.

A few days ago, epidemiologists thought they had a promising lead when most of those sickened by enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC ) had reported eating raw vegetables in the days preceding their illnesses. Suspicions were confirmed after four cucumbers, out of a random sample of vegetables from Hamburg markets, tested positive for E. coli; three of the cucumbers had been shipped from Spain. In fact, researchers were even able to pinpoint Almeria and Malaga as the regions of origin for the contaminated veggies. 
Read full article at: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/06/source-of-devastating-e-coli-remains-a-mystery/