E. coli

Alternative Names

Traveler's diarrhea - E. coli; Food poisoning - E. coli; E. coli diarrhea; Hamburger disease

What is E. coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are members of a large group of bacterial germs that inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and other warm-blooded animals (mammals, birds). Newborns have a sterile alimentary tract, which within two days becomes colonized with E. coli.

Signs and symptoms

• Bloody diarrhea: One of the prominent e coli symptoms is diarrhea with dark red blood. At times the diarrhea is non-bloody at the beginning and becomes bloody after few days.
• Nausea: The infected person suffers from upper abdominal pain and an urging sensation to vomit is observed. It is a sensation of stomach trying to empty itself.
• Stomach cramping: Abdominal cramps occur as a reaction to the attack from E. coli bacteria. A muscle contraction at the abdomen is abdominal cramping and is often mild and painful.
• Vomiting: Recurrent vomiting is one of the Ecoli symptoms that a patient may experience. The stomach empties itself frequently resulting in a heavy loss of weight.
• Fever: A very mild fever of temperature less than 101F occurs suddenly. The fever is mild but disturbing.
• Bloating: The symptom of this category would enlarge the gastrointestinal tract filling it with gas. The stomach gets tight and uncomfortable.
• Loss of appetite: This is a case where the person never feels hungry. He loses appetite.

Possible complications

The most common complication is called hemolytic uremic syndrome. People with this problem get hemolytic anemia (which is a low red blood cell count), thrombocytopenia (which is a low platelet count) and renal failure (which is kidney damage).

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is more common in children. It can cause acute renal failure in children. This problem starts about 5 to 10 days after the diarrhea starts. People with this problem must go to a hospital for medical care.

What causes

• Many illnesses have been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef.
• Produce items (e.g., lettuce, sprouts) can be contaminated through contact with cattle feces in the field.
• Person-to-person contact in families and childcare centers is also a common mode of transmission.
• Infection can also occur after drinking raw milk and after swimming in or drinking water contaminated by farm animals, usually cattle.

Prevention

• Cook all hamburgers to at least 155°F. A meat thermometer can help you test your hamburgers.
• Defrost meats in the refrigerator or the microwave. Don't let meat sit on the counter to defrost.
• Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. Use hot water and soap to wash cutting boards and dishes if raw meat and poultry have touched them.
• Wash your hands carefully with soap before you start cooking.
• Cook ground beef until you see no pink anywhere.
• Don't taste small bites of raw ground beef while you're cooking.
• Don't put cooked hamburgers on a plate that had raw ground beef on it before.
• Keep food refrigerated or frozen.
• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
• Refrigerate leftovers right away or throw them away.
• People with diarrhea should wash their hands carefully and often, using hot water and soap, and washing for at least 30 seconds. People who work in day care centers and homes for the elderly should wash their hands often, too.
• In restaurants, always order hamburgers that are cooked well done so that no pink shows. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating raw or cooked.

Treatment

E. coli treatment consists of rest and drinking fluids to prevent dehydration. For severe infections, E. coli treatment may include hospitalization so the patient can receive intravenous fluids as part of their treatment regime. Antibiotics are not usually effective for gastrointestinal infections and are only recommended if the infection spreads because by using antibiotics as part of E. coli treatment, the patient may develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is a dangerous condition that can result in kidney failure or even death.