E.coli outbreak

We have been hearing lately about Escherichia coli (E.coli) outbreaks all over the news, and we are all concerned about what it is and how we can get contaminated.

Here are some facts about this bacteria and its symptoms.

What is Escherichia coli (E.coli) ?

E.coli is a large group of bacteria. Although most of the strains of E.coli are harmless, others can make you sick.

The E.coli strain causing this last outbreak is the E.coli 0157:H7    

How is the infection spread ?

The most common way to get this infection is by eating contaminated food.

People can contaminate others by not washing their hands well with soap after going to the bathroom.

This strain of E.coli that has caused lethal food poisoning in north Germany was almost certainly carried by bean sprouts. The bacteria have not been found in the food, but epidemiological investigations of what victims ate point towards one German sprout farm.

What are the symptoms ?

• The symptoms of E.coli 0157:H7 infection varies for each person but often include:
  • severe stomach cramps
  • diarrhea (often bloody)
  • vomiting
• If there is fever, it is usually not very high (less than 38.5˚C)
• Symptoms usually start showing 3-4 days after exposure, but may take as short as 1 day or as long as 10 days.
• Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening.
• Most people get better within 5-7 days.

How to protect yourself and others ?

• Always wash your hands with soap after going to the bathroom
• Wash your hands carefully before you start cooking
• Cook ground beef until is it well done (you don’t see any pink inside)
• Don’t drink unpasteurized milk
• Wash vegetables well
• Avoid swimming in lakes and swallowing the water

What to do when symptoms show ?

• Stay well-hydrated: you want to replace the fluid you are losing with water.
• Antibiotics should not be used to treat this infection: there is no evidence that treatment with antibiotics is helpful and it may increase the risk of complications.
• Contact your doctor if any complications occur.

Where does Lebanon Stand in all this ?

• As far as Lebanon is concerned, the minister of agriculture and the General-Director of the health ministry confirmed that there are no E.coli cases in Lebanon so far up till June 4th.
• On June 14th the minister of agriculture issued a directive announcing the ban on sprouts, and lifted the ban on imported vegetables that has been issued earlier after the outbreak.
• The minister has also ordered that samples be taken of all types of vegetables entering the country, and ordered that he be informed of the results on daily basis.

References

• CDC (Centers of Disease Control and prevention)
• Family Doctor
• Medicine net
• New Scientist Health
• Daily Star Lebanon