Facts about E. coli

Transmission of The Infection

Infections usually occur when people consume contaminated foods or liquids, in other words, when you get tiny (usually invisible) amounts of human or animal faeces in your mouth.

Unfortunately, this happens more often than we would like to think about. Exposures that result in illness include consumption of contaminated food, consumption of unpasteurized (raw) milk, consumption of water that has not been treated, contact with cattle, or contact with the feces of infected people.

Some foods are considered to carry a high risk of infection with E. coli O157 or another germ, and health officials recommend that people avoid them if possible. These foods include:

·        Unpasteurized (raw) milk or juices

·        Soft cheeses made from raw milk.

 Sometimes the contact is rather obvious (working with cows at a dairy or changing nappies, for example), but sometimes it is not (like eating an undercooked hamburger or a contaminated piece of lettuce).

People have gotten infected by swallowing lake water while swimming, touching the environment in petting zoos and other animal exhibits, and by eating food prepared by people who did not wash their hands well after using the toilet. Almost everyone has some risk of infection.

Treatment