The Effects of E. Coli

On September 14, 2006 the FDA announced an E. Coli outbreak in spinach. Informing the general public of a recall in relation to bagged spinach, most were cautious but not before 50 individuals became ill resulting in one death, and one month later the outbreak would affect close to 150 more people resulting in the death of two elderly women and a two-year-old.

FoodNet Reports, based on 1999 findings regarding the organism, it is estimated that 73, 000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year.

The seriousness of the bacteria is no longer questioned. While epidemiologists have narrowed the source of the outbreak to a farm in California, what needs to be remembered is that E.coli is a constant threat and it is critical to know what to look for if you become infected and how the organism is transmitted.

E.coli 0157:H7 (one of the hundred strains that is the most harmful) was first discovered in 1982, another outbreak that affected many.

The source of the bacteria is typically through animals (such as deer, cattle, sheep, goats), drinking and swimming in water that has been infiltrated by contaminated sewage-water and eating lettuce, spinach, pastrami and/or drinking unpasteurized milk and juice, the CDC states.

It is advised to not eat uncooked or partially cooked ground beef.

Mode of transmission is known to be through day care centers and person-to-person contact with families and friends.

If you become infected, symptoms include bloody diarrhea and can result in end stage renal disease. While it takes an average of 3-4 days to start showing symptoms, the results if not treated can be fatal.