Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea. But a few strains, such as E. coli O157:H7, can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. It also plays a vital role in urinary tract infections.
The person might be exposed to E. coli from contaminated water or food — especially raw vegetables and undercooked ground beef. Healthy adults usually recover from infection with E. coli O157:H7 within a week. Young children and older adults have a greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of kidney failure
Only a few strains of E. coli trigger diarrhea. The E. coli O157:H7 strain belongs to a group of E. coli that produces a powerful toxin that damages the lining of the small intestine. This can cause bloody diarrhea. You develop an E. coli infection when you ingest this strain of bacteria.
Unlike many other disease-causing bacteria, E. coli can cause an infection even if you ingest only small amounts. Because of this, you can be sickened by E. coli from eating a slightly undercooked hamburger or from swallowing a mouthful of contaminated pool water.
Potential sources of exposure include contaminated food or water and person-to-person contact.
Contaminated food
The most common way to get an E. coli infection is by eating contaminated food, such as:
Contaminated water
Human and animal stool may pollute ground and surface water, including streams, rivers, lakes and water used to irrigate crops. Although public water systems use chlorine, ultraviolet light or ozone to kill E. coli, some E. coli outbreaks have been linked to contaminated municipal water supplies.
Private water wells are a greater cause for concern because many don't have a way to disinfect water. Rural water supplies are the most likely to be contaminated. Some people also have been infected with E. coli after swimming in pools or lakes contaminated with stool.
Other causes:
Contaminated foods and water
Poor sanitization
Sewage
Sea food
Raw fruits and vegetables
Grains
The stomach acid acts as a greater defense mechanism. When this bacteria comes into contact with the acid, it might result in degradation of the bacteria. The patients taking the H2 receptor blockers and other antacids might easily get the infection.
Raw or undecooked shellfish
After ingestion of E. coli O157: H7, the bacteria bind to the intestinal mucosa and begin releasing Shiga toxin. The toxin, in turn, disrupts protein synthesis in the epithelial cells lining intestinal mucosa, leading to cell death, sloughing of the mucosa, and eventual bloody diarrhea. Following exposure to the Shiga toxin, diarrhea, often the hemorrhagic variety, develops three days after exposure to the contaminated food specimen. After three days of diarrheal symptoms, diarrhea will become bloody in approximately 90% of affected patients.
Symptoms of infection with E. coli 0157. It typically appears 2-4 days after being exposed to the bacteria. However, symptoms may appear as early as 24 hours or as late as 1 week later.
These can include:
Stool and urine culture:
Isolation of the organisms and susceptibility profile and laboratory investigations are made.
Molecular and Rapid tests:
This includes immunochromatographic lateral flow devices such as dipsticks which can detect the presence of the O157 antigen in stool samples.
Stay hydrated.
Antibiotics provides greater relief.
If the infection results in diarrhoea then Loperamide and Metronidazole can be administered.
If it causes urinary tract infection then the following medicnes can be administered
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
The prognosis is good and the infection caused by the bacterium can be subsided within 2-3 weeks.
When thawing meats:
When prepping foods:
When cooking and serving meats:
