Food poisoning is caused by E. coli?
Food poisoning might be caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). E. coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of humans and animals. Despite fact that majority strains of E. coli food poisoning are harmless, some strains are pathogen. It means that they able to cause disease in human. The harmless strains are part of the normal flora of the gut, and can benefit their hosts by producing vitamin K and by preventing the establishment of pathogenic bacteria within the intestine.
The most dangerous E.coli strain is Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC). It produces a dangerous toxin: vero toxin or shiga-like toxin as cause of food poisoning. STEC can grow in temperatures ranging from 7°C to 50°C, with an optimum temperature of 37°C. It is destroyed by thorough cooking of foods. STEC causes illness ranging from non-bloody diarrhea, to bloody diarrhea, to post-diarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
How people get food poisoning?
One of food poisoning is acquired by eating food containing the bacteria. The bacteria live in the intestine of some healthy cattle, and contamination of the meat may occur in the slaughtering process. Eating meat, especially ground beef that is rare or not fully cooked is the most common way of getting the infection. Other possible sources of infection include unpasteurized milk, drinking or swimming in water that is contaminated with sewage, or eating unwashed fruits or vegetables that have been fertilized with cow manure.
Signs and Symptoms of food poisoning:
- Non-bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramp appear within 3-4 days after someone ingested STEC.
- Some 45% - 80% of the cases fall in more severe type: bloody diarrhea 1-2 days after-ward.
- Up to 6% of the cases with bloody diarrhea fall in the severe condition.
Treatment for E. Coli Food Poisoning
Most persons recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment in five to ten days and anti-diarrhea medication should be avoided. The WHO recommends NOT using any antibiotics since antibiotics prompt the bacteria to produce more Shiga toxin, the chemical responsible for the damage to blood vessels in the kidneys that leads to renal failure during severe EHEC infections. As with all types of diarrhea, it is important to avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids, and keep your doctor informed of your symptoms.
How to prevent the food poisoning?
- Do not eat hamburger or other ground beef products that have not been fully cooked. Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly. Make sure the cooked meat is brown throughout (not pink), and the juices run clear.
- Drink only pasteurized milk and milk products.
- All fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before serving.
- Make sure infected persons, especially children, wash their hands carefully with soap after using the toilet.
- Water which is possibly infected (when pipes leak or are undergoing repairs, for example) should be treated with adequate levels of chlorine or other effective disinfectants or boiled to guard against chance contamination.
Avoid temperature danger zone
The temperature range in which food-borne bacteria can grow is known as the danger zone. According to FDA, the danger zone is defined as 5°C - 57°C. Potentially hazardous food should not be stored at temperatures in this range in order to prevent food poisoning, and food that remains in this zone for more than four hours must be discarded. Food-borne microorganism grow much faster in the middle of the zone, at tempera-tures between 21°C and 52°C.
