For the second time in a year, hundreds of thousands of pounds of ground beef are being recalled because people are falling ill and being hospitalized due to E. coli.
In the first 10 days of June 2007, millions of pounds of ground beef were recalled, Canadian beaches were declared unsafe, and dozens of people were hospitalized around the country after eating at their local restaurants – all because of E. coli. Three months later, nearly 332,000 pounds of frozen ground beef products were recalled after contaminated burgers were found in one New York victim's home freezer by health officials.
E. coli (Escherichia coli) are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of animals and humans. Most of the 100 different types of strains of E. coli are beneficial, but the particular strain at the source of most U.S. illnesses and some deaths is E. coli 0157:H7. This toxic strain is found in the manure of cows, sheep, pigs, deer and poultry.
E. coli 0157:H7 produces a powerful toxin that can cause severe diarrhea, kidney damage, and sometimes death. Young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.
The most common symptoms of E. coli poisoning include:
- Severe abdominal cramps
- Bloody diarrhea
- Kidney failure, in extreme cases
Onset of E. coli poisoning symptoms is usually sudden, starting with severe stomach cramps and pain -- known as hemorrhagic colitis -- followed by diarrhea within the first 24 hours. As the disease progresses, the diarrhea becomes watery and then bloody. There is sometimes vomiting, but rarely fever.
Typically, the period from ingestion of the bacteria to the start of symptoms is 3 to 9 days, but an incubation period of less than 24 hours is considered unusual. Symptoms last about a week and resolve without any long-term problems.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of an E. coli 0157:H7 infection is made by finding E. coli in a stool culture. If you have bloody diarrhea, see your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will do a culture to find out if you have E. coli in your intestines. The culture has to be taken in the first 48 hours after the bloody diarrhea starts.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for this type of poisoning, except drinking a lot of water to replenish bodily fluids and watching for complications. . Antibiotics do not improve the illness, and medications to stop the diarrhea may increase the risk of complications because it would keep your intestines from getting rid of the E. coli germ.
If you are seriously dehydrated, you might need to go to the hospital to have fluids put into your veins with an IV. Most people recover within two weeks.
