E. coli is a bacterium found in the lower intestines of mammals and birds that can cause E. coli enteritis if ingested. It can be contracted from contaminated water, undercooked meat, or contact with infected people or feces. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. Prevention includes washing hands and cooking meat thoroughly.
E. coli is the shortened version of Escherichia coli, a bacterium found in the lower intestines of mammals and birds. Although intestinal bacteria are needed to aid in the digestion of food, it can be very dangerous if ingested. If a person inadvertently ingests the bacteria, the resulting infection is called E. coli enteritis, which causes inflammation of the small intestine.
People can get an E. coli infection from drinking contaminated water, eating fruits or vegetables that have been washed down with contaminated water, drinking unpasteurized milk, or eating undercooked ground meat. You can also become infected by coming into contact with other infected people or by working in settings where you might come in contact with human or animal feces, such as farms, day care centers, nursing homes, or hospitals. The most common way to get an infection is to eat burgers that are not fully cooked. Symptoms are mostly acute diarrhea that may or may not be bloody, severe stomach cramps, bloating, and gas. While these are the most common symptoms, many people infected with E. coli may also experience ongoing abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fever and, in rare cases, vomiting.
A positive E. coli infection is diagnosed by a stool culture. The culture should be taken within the first two days of the onset of severe or bloody diarrhea. Although diarrhea is unsightly and often painful, most medical professionals don’t prescribe medications to stop it. Diarrhea must continue to rid the body of bacteria. Usually, when someone is diagnosed with an infection, they are hospitalized and watched for dehydration. Treatment involves drinking plenty of water and often taking intravenous fluids.
If a positive diagnosis for this bacterium has been confirmed, the infected person will be extremely contagious. People with E. coli should not touch or be in close contact with other people until they have had two negative stool cultures. This means that children, day care workers and nursing home workers who are infected should stay home until they are fully recovered.
The best way to treat E. coli is to prevent infection before it occurs. There are two main means of preventing infection. The first is to wash your hands thoroughly before and after cooking, as well as after using the bathroom, changing your diaper, or handling raw meat. The second is to cook the minced meat thoroughly, until there are no traces of pinkness, even in the center. Other ways to avoid this bacteria are to clean dishes and shelves that have been touched by raw meat, thaw meat in the refrigerator instead of on the counter, and refrigerate leftovers right away.
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