E. Coli
What is E. Coli?
E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a germ or bacterium, that lives in the digestive tracts of humans.
E. coli is of many types and are harmless. But some types can cause bloody diarrhea.Strains of E. coli bacteria may cause severe anemia or kidney failure, leading to death.
Different strains of E. coli can cause urinary tract infections.
How do you get infected?
E. coli infection is transmitted by coming into contact with feces or stool of humans or animals. People are prone to infection when they drink water or eat food that’s been contaminated by feces.
E. coli in food
E. coli traces can get into meat during it’s processing. If meat not cooked to 160°F (71°C), the bacteria may survive and infect when you consume it.
Foods that can be infected with E. coli include:
E. coli in water
Feces infected with E. coli get into lakes, pools, and water supplies. People are prone to infection when contamination occurs in water supply, if it hasn’t been properly treated with chlorine.
E. coli from person-to-person contact
The bacteria spreads from a person to another, when an infected person does not wash well after a bowel movements. E. coli can spread from an infected person’s hands to others through objects too.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of an E. coli intestinal infection are:
E. coli causes serious problems with the blood or kidneys whose symptoms include: