Define - E. coli

What is E. coli? 

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an emerging cause of foodborne illness. An estimated 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year. 


Infection often leads to bloody diarrhea, and occasionally to kidney failure. Most illness has been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. 


Person-to-person contact in families and child care centers is also an important mode of transmission. 


Infection can also occur after drinking raw milk and after swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water. 

How can I avoid it? 

Consumers can prevent E. coli O157:H7 infection by thoroughly cooking ground beef, avoiding unpasteurized milk, and washing hands carefully.
Because the organism lives in the intestines of healthy cattle, preventive measures on cattle farms and during meat processing are beinginvestigated. 

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 



To avoid E Coli contamination:

Drink municipal water that has been treated with chlorine or other effective disinfectants.

Avoid swallowing lake or pool water while swimming. 



http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/escherichiacoli_g.htm