What is Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli?
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli is a type of enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) bacteria that can cause illness ranging from mild intestinal disease to severe kidney complications. Other types of enterohemorrhagic E. coli include the relatively important serotype E. coli O157:H7, and more than 100 other non-O157 strains such as O111 and O26. What are the symptoms? Typical symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, sudden onset of watery diarrhea, frequently bloody, and sometimes vomiting and a low-grade fever. Most often the illness is mild and self-limited generally lasting 1-3 days. However, serious complications such as hemorrhagic colitis, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), or postdiarrheal thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can occur in up to 10% of cases. How soon do the symptoms appear? The incubation period ranges from 1 to 8 days, though typically it is 3 to 5 days. How do you get Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli? Cases and outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E
