Transcript Document
Escherichia coli
O157:H7
Javier Chavez
Cathy Miller
Meridith Phillips
Patty Roth
7/20/2015
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Introduction
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What is E. coli?
Vocabulary
How is it spread?
What are the symptoms?
Who does it affect?
What is the treatment?
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What is E. coli?
Esherichia coli O157:H7 is one of
hundreds of strains of the bacterium
Eshcherichia coli.
Most strains live in the intestines of
healthy humans and animals, this strain
produces a powerful toxin, veritoxin,
which can cause severe illness and
death.
“O” represents the surface somatic
polysaccharide antigen used for typing
“H” refers to the flagella atogen
157:H7 is singled out as the most likely
to cause HUS and death
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Vocabulary
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Infectious dose- how many bacteria are
necessary to infect and organism
Attack rate- the number of individuals
exposed to and infectious dose who contract
the disease
Sequelae- the outcome of the infection
Transmissible- food born diseases are
transmissible by the fecal-oral route.
Variability- there is variability in the organism
and the host.
Food matrix- the human intestinal system
lives in permanent association with many
types of microorganisms. The diet of the
host, physiological state and genetics of the
host affects the microorganisms
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Background
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First identified in 1982
1992-1993 Jack in the Box food chain
outbreak had 500 laboratory-confirmed
infections or deaths
1996 Odwalla juice outbreak illness affected
45 people
1996, 3000 cases linked to radish sprouts in
school lunch program
2000, 2300 became ill, 7 deaths from water
contaminated with E. coli from flooding
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5 Year Trends in Colorado
www.cdphe.state.co.u
s/dc/EIP/eco.asp
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a
Shiga toxin producing
bacterium that can cause
illness ranging from mild
intestinal illness to severe
kidney complications. Other
Shiga toxin producing
serotypes (e.g. O111 and O26)
are also in the family of
enterohemorrhagic E. coli and
can cause similar disease.
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How is it spread?
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The organism can be found in the intestines of
healthy cattle. The meat can be contaminated
during slaughter.
Can be mixed into beef when it its ground into
hamburger.
Bacteria on cows udders or on equipment can
get into raw milk
It can contaminate fruits and vegetables from
contact with manure used as fertilizer
Drinking water contaminated with sewage can
carry the bacteria
The infectious dose is usually under 100
organisms
Can be spread by person to person contact
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Who does it affect?
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E. coli O157:H7 generally affects
the young (including teens) and the
elderly
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What are the
symptoms?
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Diarrhea and malaise
Hemorrhagic colitis(HC) or bloody
diarrhea and abdominal cramps
Lasts for 5-10 days usually
Infection may proceed to Hemolytic
Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a severe
cytopathic attack on the kidneys
requiring intensive care and dialysis.
Red blood cells are destroyed requiring
blood tranfusion
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Treatment
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Most persons recover without
antibiotics or specific treatment in
5-10 days.
Some antibiotic treatments cause
kidney complications
Antidiarrheal agents should be
avoided
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Prevention
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Cook all beef thoroughly (with no pink in
center)
Avoid eating undercooked meat at
restaurants (send it back)
Keep cooking area clean, wash your
hands with hot soapy water
Keep raw meat away from read-to eat
foods
Drink pasteurized milk and juices
Wash fruits and vegetables
Avoid swallowing lake or swimming
pools water
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References
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Center for Disease Control, June 2001
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/es
cherichiacoli_g.htm (Search under “What is
Escherichia coli O157:H7”)
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