Escherichia coli bacteria

Introduction

Escherichia coli are one of the most common types ofbacteria known to man. It is known for often being present in various differenttypes of food items such as vegetables or beef. The most peculiar factconcerning this and many other sorts of bacteria is that they may be harmfulfor the health of humans, but that is not always the case. Escherichia colicommonly lives inside the intestines of each and every healthy human being andit serves an important purposes of breaking down and digesting all food items aperson eats. There are certain strains of Escherichia coli which are known forgetting into the blood. Such occurrences are rare, but they still do occur fromtime to time, and they are known for being affiliated with severe and serioustypes of infections. A person who suffers from an infection caused be Escherichiacoli commonly experiences symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, belly pain andvery bad stomach cramps. It is widely known fact that Escherichia coli often infectcattle, so the food products which come from cattle get infected as well.Manure used for the production of crops may also contaminate the food. The samecan be said for water infected with Escherichia coli if it is used for theirrigation of the crops. The serious issue with Escherichia coli is usuallylinked to food items infected by this type of bacteria, even though theinfection can be passed from person to person. The food items which are usuallymost likely to be associated with Escherichia coli include fruit juices whichare not pasteurized, vegetables washed in contaminated water, vegetables grownin cow manure and undercooked ground beef. It is a widely known fact that heatkills Escherichia coli, so that is why beef always need to be cooked properly. Itis because of all the aforementioned facts that vegetables always need to bewashed and scrubbed thoroughly before consumption. Onions, lettuce and spinachare usually the ones most commonly infected with Escherichia coli.

Treatment Options

In order to properly diagnose the condition, the doctorusually takes a sample of the person’s stool and runs some blood tests. It isimportant not to take any anti-diarrhea medications. Some cases of Escherichia colimay require hospitalization. It is strongly suggested to always consume welldone burgers and other meat products made from ground beef. Swallowing watersfrom the pools, oceans and lakes should also be avoided as much as possible.Washing the hands before eating and using the bathroom is a must.