Why does E. coli cause such misery?
Escherichia coli lives in the intestinal tract of humans and animals such as cattle. The presence of most E. coli strains in the intestine is beneficial, as the bacteria crowd out more undesirable bacterial species. E. coli can damage the intestines, kidneys, heart, lungs and brain. image: Dr. Howard Trachtman But when certain strains of E. coli, such as O157:H7, infect a person, or when normal strains of the bacteria escape the intestinal tract, gastrointestinal distress can afflict the unlucky person. E. coli O157:H7, the bacteria that spread in tainted hamburger in the Northwest in 1993, works its malevolence because it produces a toxin known as shigatoxin. When this toxin enters the bloodstream, it damages blood vessels in the kidneys, brain, intestines, and other organs, and complications can result.
