Also called: Also called: Escherichia coli
E. coli is the name of a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless. However, some types can make you sick and cause diarrhea. One type causes travelers' diarrhea. The worst type of E. coli causes bloody diarrhea, and can sometimes cause kidney failure and even death. These problems are most likely to occur in children and in adults with weak immune systems.
You can get E. coli infections by eating foods containing the bacteria. To help avoid food poisoning and prevent infection, handle food safely. Cook meat well, wash fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them, and avoid unpasteurized milk and juices. You can also get the infection by swallowing water in a swimming pool contaminated with human waste.
Most cases of E. coli infection get better without treatment in 5 to 10 days.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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E. Coli
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/ecoli/default.htm
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E. Coli Infection(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/242.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/digestive/disorders/242.printerview.html
- Escherichia coli(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/stec_gi.html
- E. Coli(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/e-coli/DS01007/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
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Use a Food Thermometer(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Use_a_Food_Thermometer/index.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/thermy/BrochureSP.pdf
- Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli (ETEC)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/etec_g.htm
- E. Coli 0157:H7 in Drinking Water(Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water) - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/ecoli.html
- Escherichia Coli Infection and Farm Animals(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/ecoli.htm
- Focus on Ground Beef(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/ground_beef_and_food_safety/index.asp
- Food Detectives: Fight Bac(Partnership for Food Safety Education) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.fooddetectives.com/
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Escherichia coli Infections(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Escherichia+coli+Infections%22
- Article: Deaths of early-onset, invasive sepsis in full-term infants in Miyazaki:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806353&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Impact of empiric antimicrobial therapy on outcomes in patients with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18793400&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Screening policies for daycare attendees: lessons learned from an outbreak... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18767271&tool=MedlinePlus
- E. Coli Infections -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=escherichia+coli+infections[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- E. Coli and hemolytic-uremic syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=hemolytic+uremic+syndrome[mh]+AND+escherichia+coli+infections[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Problems with Food Products(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/Problems_With_Food_Products/
- Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Partnership for Food Safety Education - http://www.fightbac.org
- E. Coli(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/ecoli.html
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Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/childkidneydiseases/hemolytic_uremic_syndrome/
- Bacterial Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bacterialinfections.html
- Diarrhea - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diarrhea.html
- Food Contamination and Poisoning - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodcontaminationandpoisoning.html
- Food Safety - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodsafety.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
The primary NIH organization for research on E. Coli Infections is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
E. Coli Infections - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/ecoliinfections.html