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version) for printing.
What is STEC/
EHEC infection?
E. coli is a bacteria that normally lives in the intestines
of humans and animals. There are many strains of E. coli such
as 0121, 011, 026 and the most common strain 0157:H7. These
strains of E. coli are known to produce a toxin that can cause
serious illness.
Who gets
STEC/EHEC infection?
All age groups can be infected with STEC/EHEC, but young children,
the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are the
most severely affected.
How does
one get infected with STEC/EHEC?
The infection is acquired by eating food containing the bacteria.
The bacteria live in the intestine of some healthy cattle, and
contamination of the meat may occur in the slaughtering process.
Eating meat, especially ground beef that is rare or not fully
cooked is the most common way of getting the infection.
Other possible sources
of infection include unpasteurized milk, drinking or swimming
in water that is contaminated with sewage, or eating unwashed
fruits or vegetables that have been fertilized with cow manure.
Person-to-person
transmission can occur if infected persons do not wash their
hands after using the toilet or after changing diapers.
What are
the symptoms of STEC/EHEC infection?
People infected by STEC/EHEC strains such as 0157:H7 can develop
a range of symptoms. Some infected people may have mild diarrhea
or no symptoms at all. Most cases develop severe diarrhea and
abdominal cramps. Blood is often seen in the stool. Usually
little or no fever is present.
How soon
after the exposure do symptoms appear?
The symptoms usually appear about three days after exposure,
with a range of one to nine days.
What is the
treatment for infection with STEC/EHEC?
Most persons recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment
in five to ten days. The usefulness of antibiotic treatment
is unproven, and anti-diarrheal medication should be avoided.
As with all types of diarrhea, it is important to avoid dehydration
by drinking plenty of fluids, and keep your doctor informed
of your symptoms.
What complications
can result from infection with STEC/EHEC?
In some persons, particularly children under five years of age,
the infection can cause a complication called hemolytic uremic
syndrome (HUS). This is a serious disease in which red blood
cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. Transfusions of blood
or blood clotting factors as well as kidney dialysis may be
needed. A prolonged hospital stay is often required. Fortunately,
most people with HUS recover completely, but it can be fatal
in about 3-5% of the cases.
How long
can a person spread STEC/EHEC?
The illness usually lasts 5 to 10 days (about two weeks in cases
of HUS) and most people are not infectious about a week after
diarrhea stops. However, in young children the organism can
persist in the stool for weeks.
How can infection with STEC/EHEC be prevented?
1. Do not eat hamburger or other ground beef products that have
not been fully cooked. Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly.
Make sure the cooked meat is brown throughout (not pink), and
the juices run clear.
2. Drink only pasteurized milk and milk products.
3. All fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before
serving.
4. Make sure infected persons, especially children, wash their
hands carefully with soap after using the toilet.
5. Water which is possibly infected (when pipes leak or are
undergoing repairs, for example) should be treated with adequate
levels of chlorine or other effective disinfectants or boiled
to guard against chance contamination.
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Information of food handling for the prevention of STEC/EHEC
General Handling:
1. Ground beef should be frozen or refrigerated at 45°F
or less as soon as possible after it is purchased and kept refrigerated
until it is used.
2. Ground beef should be packaged and stored so that its juices
(blood) do not drip onto other foods.
3. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and
after handling raw meat.
4. Never reuse packaging materials.
5. Be careful not to recontaminate meat by placing cooked meat
on the same platter or surface that held the raw meat, or by
using utensils which have been contaminated by raw meat.
6. Utensils, dishes and surfaces which come in contact with
raw meat should be washed with soap and water before they are
used again.
Storing:
1. Ground beef should be stored at 45°F or below.
2. Ground beef may be stored frozen for up to four months and
in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Cooking:
1. Cook ground beef until it is completely cooked throughout
(no pink in the middle) and the juices run clear. Ground beef
should be cooked to 155°F or above. Do not cook ground beef
in a microwave oven because cooking may be uneven.
2. Any cooked hamburger left at room temperature for more than
2 hours should be discarded.
3. After cooking, ground beef can be stored in the refrigerator
for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheating:
1. Reheat fully cooked ground beef and hamburger patties to
165°F or above.
Where can
I get more information?
• Your personal doctor
• Your local health department, listed in your telephone
directory
• The Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology
(801) 538-6191.
Utah
Department of Health
Office of Epidemiology
10/6/2006
