Escherichia coli, also called Escherichia coli, is a bacterium that we hear about regularly due to the infections it can cause. Focus on these bacteria whose properties are still unknown.
Escherichia coli is a bacterium that is found naturally in the intestinal flora. However, there are different strains of E. coli bacteria. While most of them are harmless and even necessary for the proper operation of gut germsOthers turned out to be harmful. Several types of E. coli, few in number, can cause intestinal infections of varying severity. Some, unfortunately, can lead to death in its most subtle form. Specifically, the so-called enteric hemorrhagic strains (EHEC) are pathogenic to humans. they are the reasonfood poisoning Featured regularly in the news. They are thus the cause of particularly serious food poisoning (also called TIA).
How do you get infected with Escherichia coli bacteria?
It is possible to become infected with E. coli bacteria, for example by bringing dirty hands to your mouth, or even if you are bathing in a body of water contaminated with sewage.
However, most infections caused by E. coli come from food. Thus, the most common causes are due to:
- to Dairy products (mainly raw milk) and unpasteurized fruit juices;
- wash vegetables and fruits with dirty water;
- to contaminated meat that has not been adequately cooked or even prepared raw.
Thus the sources of pollution can be diverse. To prevent most infections, health authorities in particular recommend systematic hand washing in the kitchen as well as thorough cooking of meat.
Escherichia coli infection, diagnosis and treatment
The main symptoms of E. coli poisoning usually appear 3 to 8 days after infection. Among the symptoms noted:
- Abdominal pain and diarrhea.
- vomiting;
- high temperature;
When E. coli poisoning is confirmed by clinical examination supported by bacterial assay, antibiotic therapy may be implemented. But this on the contrary can aggravate the infection by causing the release of toxins in the body. So the treatment is basically preventative. Thus, it is the entire food chain, starting with the product, that must carry out a hygiene protocol Strictly to prevent the spread of strains of Escherichia coli harmful to human health.
