With the recent cases of E. coli infection in twenty states thanks to contaminated spinach from California, you may be wondering what it is, what it does, and how it spreads.
Escherichia coli is a bacteria with hundreds of different strains. The current E. coli outbreak is specifically caused by E. Coli O157:H7, a leading cause of food borne illness. Every year in the United States, there are approximately 73,000 cases of E. coli infection. The bacteria was first recognized in 1982, when an outbreak of severe diarrhea and abdominal cramping was traced back to undercooked, contaminated hamburgers.
How does E. coli spread? E. coli lives in the intestines of healthy cattle, deer, goats, and sheep. Eating undercooked, contaminated beef is the major source of E. coli infection. However, if contaminated fecal matter gets into irrigation systems, plants and vegetables may carry the bacteria. E. coli also can appear in unpasteurized milk and in contaminated swimming and drinking water.
If you are infected with E. coli, you can see symptoms within twenty-four hours. However, the average time to develop symptoms is three to four days. The most common symptoms are severe, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramping. The illness typically resolves itself without treatment in five to ten days.
E. coli infection can cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The infection kills red blood cells, causing the kidneys to fail. Only about eight percent of all people with E. coli infection develop HUS and require treatment including blood transfusions and kidney dialysis. HUS is most often seen in children under the age of five and the elderly.
How can you prevent E. coli infection?
- Make sure your meats are thoroughly cooked.
- Wash fruits and vegetables before eating.
- Only drink pasteurized milk.
- Wash hands and surfaces before preparing or eating food.
- Wash hands after using the bathroom.
- Drink only safe, treated water.
- Don’t swallow lake or pool water while swimming.