E. COLI 0157:H7

E.Coli 0157:H7  It is one of the hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli  This strain produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness  First recognized as a cause of an illness in 1982  Most infections have come from the consumption of uncooked meat

E.Coli 0157:H7  The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the bacterium represent the specific markers found on its surface.  An emerging cause of foodborne illness with an estimated 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths in the United States alone each year!

E.Coli 0157:H7  Mode of Transmission: Ingestion of contaminated food  Infection control: No special isolation precautions required  Incubation period: 3-8 days

How Is It Spread?  Found on a small number of cattle farms in the intestines of healthy cattle  Meat CAN be contaminated during slaughter and can be mixed in particularly with ground beef.  Bacteria is present on the cow’s udders or on equipment and therefore could possibly get into raw milk as well.

How Is It Spread?  Eating meat, particularly ground beef,that has not been sufficiently cooked can cause infection.  Other sources of consumption: sprouts, lettuce, salami, unpateurized milk and juice, and swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water.

How Is It Spread?  Bacteria in diarrheal stools of infected persons can be passed from one person to another.  KEEP HYGIENE HABITS!  Pay particular attention to toddlers who aren’t yet toilet trained.  Young children can shed organism in their feces for a week after illness resolves.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  CDC collects information about foodborne illness outbreaks from state and local health departments.  Claims that 250 million Americans suffer from food poisoning and over 5000 victims die every year!  Most of the outbreaks are caused by food handling errors  Managers should implement the most effective food sanitation possible  70% outbreaks occur in foodservice operations

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What illness does 0157:H7 Cause?  Often causes severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps (Hemorrhagic colitis)  Usually little or not fever is present  Illness resolves in five to ten days  With children under 5 yrs. & elderly, it can cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome.  2%-7% have this complication.  Principal cause of acute kidney failure in children.

Prevention  Cook all beef thoroughly, particularly ground beef  Beef can turn brown before disease-causing bacteria all killed  Use a digital instant-read thermometer

Prevention  In the kitchen, keep raw meat separate from ready-to- eat foods  Wash hands, counters, and utensils with soapy water after they touch raw meat.  Never place cooked hamburgers or ground beef on the unwashed plate that held raw patties.  Wash meat thermometers in between tests of patties that require further testing.

Prevention  Drink only pasteurized milk or juice.  Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly  Have municipal water treated with chlorine or other disinfectants  Avoid swallowing lake or pool water while swimming  Wash hands with soap after bowel movements or after changing soiled diapers.

Thawing Meat  Thaw foods in refrigerator units under water of 70 F or lower  Or in the microwave oven  Thaw ready-to-eat foods above raw  Large items should not be cooked from frozen state

Outbreaks  Scottish outbreak--linked to butcher shop; 116 people reported with symptoms; 4 people died  Odwalla fruit juices-- had to recall on carrots and vegetable juices; victims were children; apples were contaminated through feces of cattle grazing in nearby pasture  Georgia Water Park--10 children were affected and 1 died; link to child defecating in children’s wading pool  Japan Outbreak-- 9 people died in 4 week time span; bacteria infected over 9000 people; 5000 of which were school children