E. Coli

What is E.Coli?

E.Coli is a type of bacteria that can get into foods such as beef and vegetables. E. Coli is short for Escherichia coli. E.Coli is not always harmful. E. coli lives usually in the intestines and helps break down and digest food but, in some rare cases certain types of E. Coli can get into the blood and cause a serious infection.

Is E.Coli a eubacteria or an archaebacteria?

E. Coli is a eubacteria.

How can you get it?

Eating undercooked ground beef, drinking contaminated water or/and unpasteurized milk, and working with cattle can increase the risk of aquiring E. Coli. E. Coli can also be passed from person to person in places such as Day Cares.

What are the symptoms?

Some of the symptoms of E. coli include strong abdominal cramps and belly pains. Also vomiting and diarrhea which may have blood in it.

How is it diagnosed?

E. Coli is diagnose through a stool inspection, The stool inspection is done within the following 48 hours after a bloody diarrhea occurs. If a bloody diarrhea were to occur the doctor might or would make an intestine inspection to further diagnose a probable E. Coli infection.

How is it treated?

There is no treatment for E. Coli. Drinking a lot of water is important thus it won't treat the infection.

How can you keep from getting E.Coli infection?

Using proper hyegene while cooking, before, and after is a good way to prevent E. Coli infection. Cooking all meats thoroughly before tasting and eating is another way of preventing E.Coli. There are many other ways to prevent the E. Coli infection and all contribute to proper hyegene and eating foods that are cooked according to the labels.

Other Information...

E. Coli is most common in children and the syptoms are stronger in children too. E. Coli bacteria can esaly be grown and its geneticws are simple to compare, easily manipulated, and it can be duplicated. These factors make E. Coli one of the best studied prokaryotic model organisms.