• Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service have isolated Escherichia (E.) coli O157:H7 from a variety of pest flies in leafy green fields planted up to 180 meters away from cattle feedlots.  Among most fly species captured on sticky traps at leafy green farms, 22.3-29 flies per 1,000 flies carried E. coli O157:H7.
  • In 2018, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce was responsible for an outbreak that sickened 62 people in 16 states, of whom 25 were hospitalized.
  • The researchers noted that more work is needed to determine the human health risk posed by these flies and whether they are capable of contaminating leafy greens and causing a foodborne illness outbreak.