The toll of exclusion from work or preschool due to Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> positivity in Dublin and South East Ireland, 2022/2023

Exclusions cause significant stress to individuals and families. This demonstrates the potential need to risk-stratify STEC notifications for clearance, as in other European countries. Another approach might involve administering antibiotics, believed to shorten the duration of shedding. Despite concerns around an association with an increased risk of Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome with antibiotic use, recent data in asymptomatic shedders have been reassuring in this regard. This study illustrates the magnitude of lost time while awaiting clearance. The public health management of STEC infection needs to evolve, to take account of an evolving evidence base.