E. Coli Case Study

Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes 73,000 illnesses in the United States annually. A review of E. coli O157 outbreaks reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand its epidemiology. E. coli O157 outbreaks revealed that in that period, 49 states reported 350 outbreaks, representing 8,598 cases, 1,493 (17%) hospitalizations, 354 (4%) hemolytic uremic syndrome cases, and 40 (0.5%) deaths. Clinical laboratories began examining more stool specimens for E. coli O157. In 1994, E. coli O157 became a nationally notifiable infection, and by 2000, reporting was mandatory in 48 states. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was first recognized as a pathogen in 1982 during an outbreak investigation of hemorrhagic colitis.

At the end of 2006 both Iowa and Minnesota suffered an out break of E.Coli from Taco Johns. The restaurants that were affected were in Cedar Falls, Albert Lea, and Austin. In December of 2013 Iowa health officials recorded that at least 50 of its residents became ill with E. coli and 27 from Minnesota. January of the following year the Food and drug administration stated that the FDA was close to identifying the source of the E. coli break out. According to the FDA 81 individuals became ill. 26 of those ill were hospitalized with E. coli infections and two even developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

2. Why do you think Mrs. Garner's students did not become ill, while Ms. Hines' kids did?

The CDC collaborated with public health officials in many states, the US FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to investigate an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections.

In ground beef you can get E. coli because they slaughter the cow and then the E. coli from there intestine gets on the ground meat and they mix the meat and then that gives it a higher risk of spreading it.(Staff Mayo Clinic) In unpasteurized milk it comes from the udder of the cow and then it gets into the milk. (Staff Mayo Clinic) In fresh food it comes from the farms that can contaminate the farm. The most vulnerable to this is lettuce and spinach. (Staff Mayo Clinic) In contaminated water there can be E. coli because it untreated and there is feces in it.(Staff Mayo Clinic) Also personal contact which means that adults can give it to their kids because they do not wash their hands after using the bathroom.(Staff Mayo Clinic) Also it passed in restaurants because cooks or people working back their do not wash their hands. E. coli causes the hemolytic-urine syndrome, which is a blood and kidney disease in children. It can also cause Uninary tract infections and bladder infections or it can lead to sepsis. There is another cause Thrombotic thrombocytopenic Purpura. This is a rare blood disease. It causes clots to form in small blood vessels throughout the body. This usually causes through the infectious parts of E. coli.

O157:H7 strain of E. coli that sickened 40 people in eight states (Glausiusz 1). Additionally,

You’re experiencing the following: Diarrhea, blood in your stool, abdominal pain, or changes in bowel habit.

What exactly is E.coli poisoning? What is the origin of e.coli? I always had these question in mind and decided to do this research on this topic because it has always been a subject during these past few years and it's becoming a topic over the news. As I was doing my research on the topic is then when I knew that the name E.Coli that we always see wasn’t the actual name of it. Its name is called Escherichia Coli and that there a few different types of e.coli which I never even knew of. I never thought of what could happen if someone gets infected with e.coli or how cautious we should be trying to stay away from it. Is it also something not just us to prevent it but also the way it gets into the foods we eat. It’s best to know and understand how it could become a big issue even if you are careful with how to handle it. How do actually keep e.coli away from us how should the government make sure the rates of food contamination decrease?

In June of 1997, the Michigan Department of Community Health became aware of increased reports of E.coli. Fifty-two reports of infections were reported compared to eighteen in June 1996. These results showed a significant increase in the number of cases for residents of Michigan. The cases were found to be from all different locations in Michigan, all were different ages and both male and female. Little was known about the causes of the outbreak except it occurred at a slightly higher rate in women than men. Out of the cases, thirty-eight people interviewed who had the illness, none of them consumed ground beef, milk, were in contact with farm animals, and no restaurants were in common, but they all consumed sprouts seven days before the onset of symptoms. My role as an epidemiologist for this outbreak

I had recently experienced the terror that is referred to as E. Coli. I can tell you all about how it is much worse than the flu, although I will also be talking about this one girl I stumbled upon on the internet also. She had a life threatening experience that you can definitely experience if you go untreated when finding out that you have E. Coli. She had it for 19 days straight when I had been extremely lucky that I had only had it for eight days. I know that I definitely did not feel lucky, but doing this project has let me realize that I was very fortunate. Some people just chalk it up as the stomach flu like my mother and aunt did, but my grandmother knew it was something more than that. She ended up taking me to Med Express which is not a very good place to go if you want to get a work release on the same day or week by the way. On top of the issues I had at the doctor it was nonstop viral- like symptoms that only got worse until they got better.

As previously stated, the most common symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, and bloating; all of which are usually cured after a bowel movement.

Assume you’re at home your eating peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You turn on your television, and found out that the peanut butter you were eating was recalled. The new anchor explained that the brand that you consumed had E. coli. The anchor also explained the potential effects of E. coli bacteria. Later that day, you experience severe diarrhea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain. The first thing that may come to mind is “What caused the E. Coli outbreak?” On the other hand, you may be thinking “Why didn’t the company take any precautions to reduce the potential outbreak? “The above questions are only important when evaluating the food industry. To reduce the food borne illness one follow the safest guidelines to protect public

Accompanying symptoms are analogous to those in other diarrheal illnesses, including (but not limited to) nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and low-grade fever. Sometimes nonspecific symptoms occur as well, for example weakness, muscle aches, headache, malaise and anorexia.

Other symptoms may be vomiting,burning of throat, nausea, cardiac dysrythmia, diarrhea, nightmare, dizziness, stomach cramps and a common symptom headache.

One dangerous and common foodborne illness that many in the US are affected by each year is E. Coli. E.coli or Escherichia coli is a bacterium that is found in the intestines of mammals and birds. About .1 percent of all bacteria in the intestines is E. coli, most E. coli help with digestion and producing vitamins B and K. The pathogenic and dangerous types of E. coli are known to cause pneumonia, blood diseases, meningitis and urinary tract infections. To have a harmful E. coli is very unpleasant for the host and causes vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. One of the most common pathogenic strains is E. coli O157:H7. This strain is said to cause