E. coli –Although Common in the Human Gut and Not Always Harmful, Some Strains Can Make Consumers Quite Ill.
While not pleasant to think about, all warm-blooded animals (including humans) have bacteria lining their gut. In fact, the human body has trillions of what are considered “good” bacteria in the intestines – maintaining a collaborative, symbiotic, relationship with each other. These microbiotas are actually necessary in keeping the gut healthy and most promote over-all health of the body. Some bacteria- such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), a common bacterium found in the human gut, may not always be beneficial, but is typically harmless. And yet, as the American diet greatly contributes to the sort of bacteria in one’s body, humans regularly and unwittingly introduce bad bacteria into their system. One such bacteria, a strain of E. coli, is, according to the Mayo Clinic, a particularly nasty strain that goes beyond causing bouts of diarrhea from intestinal irritation, E. coli O157:H7 can cause much more severe symptoms and especially in more health compromised individuals.
E. coli includes at least four dozen pathogenic strains, but not all cause health risks. E coli O157:H7 (among a small group of others) does, however, due to the poisonous substance it produces called Shiga toxins. Anohter name for this strain of E. coli is Shiga toxigenic E. coli, or, simply STEC. Shiga toxins cause an intestinal infection which is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and fever. In more sever cases STEC can lead to kidney failure. In fact, the leading cause of kidney failure has been identified as E coli O157:H7. Other illnesses, such as urinary tract infections, respiratory illness such as pneumonia and meningitis can develop from coming in contact with this strand of E coli. And, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and estimated 265 thousand people in the United States are infected with STEC, which originates from fecal matter. This bacterium flourishes in the stool of either humans or animals, and typically contaminates our food sources through feces contaminated soil or water.
Since the majority of our food supply comes from animals, or grows in soil and is processed en masse, E. coli can easily make its way in to the foods we consume. With produce, the soil in which it grows and is then harvested from can contain contaminated manure and if the produce is not washed thoroughly, say spinach, for example, before being prepped and packaged, this pathogen will end up on dinner tables. While meat, though presented in different ways – as cold cuts, hot dogs, ground, cut into grill-ready steaks or formed into nuggets, are still, at the end of the day, from warm-blooded animals. And, as these animals can have E. coli bacteria in their intestines, it can make its way into these prepared meats. Ground meat, as an example, is made up of multiple animals and so if even one carries the strain, it will be present in the end product. Meat then, must be cooked to a safe temperature that will hopefully kill the bacteria before consumption. The same issue arises with unpasteurized dairy products. Products such as yogurt or cheese made with raw milk, or just the raw milk itself are never heated, killing the bacteria, so there is a risk of the animal producing the product passing along E. coli.
In addition to our food source, as a means of contracting E. coli, and according to the CDC, individuals can come into contact with E coli in many other ways. Interacting with animals directly is one such way. Working with cattle, visiting a zoo, or even handling a household pet carries a risk. The animal might carry the bacteria or certainly their feces might. Thorough washing of hands is vital, then, to mitigate the risk of infection. As water often gets contaminated by waste, E. coli can be transmitted to a human just by swimming in a body of water and ingesting some. And, certainly, there is a risk even with human to human interaction. Changing a diaper, using or cleaning a public restroom can expose an individual to dangerous bacterium. Again, why it is vital to wash hands thoroughly and use disinfectants on compromised surfaces. The opportunity to come in to contact with E. coli is great. Practicing good hygiene, both personal and in food preparation therefore, is paramount.
Washing of hands before preparing foods seems fairly obvious. But, washing hands after food prep, and washing all surfaces may not be as obvious. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) it is very important to always wash hands with warm, soapy water following cleaning and sanitizing of all surfaces- the refrigerator, counter tops, sink, cutting boards, after you have prepared any food. If the food you have prepared is contaminated, you will have spread the bacteria to many other surfaces- increasing risk of the spread to other ingredients and to other individuals unwittingly picking up these germs. And, unwashed hands can pass contaminates on to items like baby bottles or pacifiers, putting a vulnerable child in harm’s way.
Exposure to E. coli can result in a range of outcomes. For an otherwise healthy individual there may be very mild digestive upset for a brief time. Or, for this same otherwise healthy individual, contracting a more sever strain of E coli, the symptoms might include a fever and body aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. And, again, for an immune compromised individual the results can be deadly. If a consumer suspects they have come into contact with E. coli they should consult a healthcare provider. Typically, antibiotics are not the course of action that will be recommended – especially as with STEC, the condition can be aggravated further. And, medical professionals will usually advise against using an anti-diarrheal medication as well since this will delay the bodies normal response of shedding the infection from the gut. In most cases the infection will clear on its own, in time, with the help of rest and hydration.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/e-coli/symptoms-causes/syc-20372058
https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/general/index.html
https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/escherichia-coli-e-coli
