How does one get infected with E. coli?
The bacteria is acquired by eating food containing the bacteria. The bacteria live in the intestines of some healthy cattle, and contamination of the meat may occur in the slaughtering process. Eating meat that is rare or inadequately cooked is the most common way of getting the infection. Person to person transmission can occur if infected people do not wash their hands after using the toilet. Contamination of counter tops, cutting boards, utensils and dish cloths may also be a source of infection, especially in young children. What are the symptoms of E. coli infection? People infected by E. coli can develop a range of symptoms. Some infected people may have mild diarrhea or no symptoms at all. Most identified 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 five days after exposure, with a range of two to ten days. How is infec
