E. coli O157:H7 and Food Poisoning

Learn the Signs, Symptoms, Treatment and How to Identify and Prevent This ‘Bloody’ Pathogen

Most strains of E. coli, or Escherichia coli are harmless. E. coli is a natural, normal bacterium that inhabits the intestines of warm-blooded animals and under normal circumstances causes no harm, and actually creates some nutritional benefits to the inhabited human or animal.

The specific strain of E. Coli known as E. coli O157: H7 is the one that makes the news with product recalls and food poisoning outbreaks. It is an enterohemorrhagic strain (causes bloody diarrhea) known to cause food borne illness or food poisoning. Experts believe there are approximately 70,000 cases of E. coli O157 each year in the United States.

E. coli O157:H7 Identification and Sources

Believe it or not E. coli O157:H7 can also be transmitted by flies, direct contact with farm animals, and airborne particles found in animal-rearing environments. The one transmission route that most of us should be primarily concerned with is controlling flies.

One other dangerous source outside of food, is while swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools or backyard kiddy pools.  As for these situations - Just don’t swallow the water!!

Signs & Symptoms

The time between consuming the contaminated food or drink and first sign of symptoms (known as the incubation period) is on average 3-4 days, but may be as short as 1 day or as long as 10 days. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain or stomach cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea, vomiting and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). Fever is rare, but if present it is usually not very high. HUS on the other hand is very dangerous and can cause kidney failure, Hemolytic Anemia is fatal in three to five percent of all cases. Researchers at the University of Utah found that 10 percent of children diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7 go on to develop HUS. If you have a child with these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

While it is uncomfortable and you’ll be sleeping with your head in the trash can and your rump on the toilet, an otherwise healthy adult can recover in a week or less (5-7days). It’s extremely dangerous for the high risk individual (those who have immunodeficiency issues, such as a chemotherapy or HIV patient, the very young, or the elderly) and they should be taken to the hospital, or doctor immediately.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for O157:H7, but that doesn’t mean you are powerless. Keep hydrated with water or light fluids and watch for complications. Don’t take medications to stop the diarrhea unless instructed by a physician as it will stop your body from expelling the bacterium. Antibiotics may not be used and in some cases have been shown to cause more harm.

Treatments for complications such as HUS must be completed in a hospital setting and sometimes involve the temporary replacement of kidney function with dialysis.

For an extensive list of natural treatments, remedies and other possible cures, click on the link and read my article at www.FoodPoisoningPrevention.com/Treatements_Remedies.htm

Prevention

• Wash Your Hands –I can’t stress this enough. Make sure you get your whole hand, your thumbs, under your nails and lather up to the wrist for at least 20 seconds to really do it correctly. Wash your hands after you sneeze; after you spend some close and personal time with the family pet; before you prepare food and after you prepare food (especially raw meats, poultry or seafood); wash your hands after you go to the restroom and definitely before you eat.

• Watch For Cross Contamination and Temperature Abuse. Where you have control, Take Control! This means in your own kitchen don’t allow cooked or ready-to-eat foods to come in contact with utensils, cutting boards, counter tops, plates, platters etc. that were used for raw meats, poultry, seafoods, (known as cross contamination) without thoroughly washing and rinsing with hot water and soap inbetween. Provide enough time for defrosting any frozen meats, seafoods or birds in the refrigerator (not on the counter overnight). This is the safest way to defrost. The outside layer of meats, poultry etc. defrost and come to room temperature much sooner than the interior. That room temperature needs to be your refrigeration temperature (at or below 40° F) not your kitchen temperature. Bacteria under good conditions can double every 15 minutes. Have a good instant-read, digital probe thermometer, that is sensitive at the tip, available throughout the cooking process. Use it often to check the temperature of meat while cooking, testing multiple areas.
• Restaurant Proper Food Handling. As a restaurant owner or employee, you can not stress hand-washing enough either. Aside from proper food handling, and proper cleaning techniques, you can keep up with current reports and make sure to refresh employee training on a regular basis, especially new-hires. (Click on the links to read more on Restaurant Food Hazards or Restaurant Personal Hygiene) If something is sent back to be cooked more thoroughly, replace everything on the plate and of course, put it on a clean plate. Your customer isn’t being difficult by demanding these precautions; they’re trying to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy. The tools of prevention are in your hands.
• Sanitize Your Toothbrush. As far as I can tell there haven’t been any well documented cases of contracting E. Coli O157:H7 from a toothbrush, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible and when you think about it, where do you keep your toothbrush? In the bathroom – the most bacterial/germ infested room in the house and you’re putting this instrument in your mouth daily.  The UV light sanitizers advertise that they “eliminate up to 99.99% of germs and bacteria on toothbrushes”.  I know I might be buying into the marketing of a new tool that may have originally started as a Brookstone / Sharper Image gadget, but now is available at many general stores.  If not for E. coli, then the many other bacteria that are lurking in your bathroom. You can find UV sanitizers for your toothbrush ranging from $10 to $50 at Wal-Mart or do your own pricing on the internet or other stores. I wouldn’t recommend a toothbrush case, or holder, because your toothbrush is wet when you put it away, and it has bacteria and other germs from your mouth. That closed in space will promote growth of these germs.

REFERENCES

1.  United States Centers for Disease Control – Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases: www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/stec_gi.html

2.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escherichia_coli#cite_note-36