Saint Margaret’s | HEALTH CARE DECISIONS

Nurse's Notes

by Kate Reeves

November 2006 View

Is There Anything Safe to Eat?

Good gravy! Here we are going into the season of feasts and celebration and once again something we think of as nutritious and wholesome becomes a danger. Spinach! Lettuce! Carrots! Alfalfa sprouts! Is there nothing safe anymore? And what is this “E. COLI” anyhow?

E. coli O157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli. Most strains of this bacterium are harmless, but this particular one produces a powerful toxin that can and does cause severe illness, potential life-long disability and even death.

E. coli O157:H7 is usually found in the intestines of healthy cattle, deer, goats and sheep. It was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982 during an outbreak of severe bloody diarrhea. This outbreak was traced to contaminated hamburgers. Most of the time E. coli infections in the United States are caused by eating undercooked ground beef.

Recently of course, there have been outbreaks caused by contaminated
spinach, lettuce, and alfalfa spouts, among other vegetables. Other infections have been caused by drinking raw milk and unpasteurized juice, or by swimming in or drinking contaminated water.

People usually become ill from E. coli an average of three to four days after being exposed. Usually the illness causes severe bloody diarrhea such as in 1982, along with abdominal cramps. Less often there are fewer symptoms. An elevated temperature is rare and the infection resolves in about a week. Bathroom hygiene is essential whenever anyone has diarrhea!

However, in some people, especially small children, the elderly and the immunocompromised, a complication can occur, called hemolytic uremic syndrome, (HUS), where the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. About 8% of the severely ill folks develop this. HUS is the principal cause of acute kidney failure in children, and most cases are caused by E. Coli O157:H7.People who only have the diarrhea usually recover completely but some of the folks with HUS have lifelong complications which may result in blindness, paralysis, lifelong dialysis, or need to have part of their bowel removed, among other things. And of course a few people die.

There are several things you can do to prevent an
E. coli O157:H7 infection.

1. WASH YOUR HANDS! None of us wash our hands often enough. Especially teach young children about hand-washing after bathroom use.

2. Cook all ground beef thoroughly.

3. Keep raw meat separate from other foods in your kitchen. WASH YOUR HANDS.

4. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water,
especially those that will not be cooked. Washing may not remove all contamination, so be sure and remove the outer leaves of leafy vegetables.

5. Be aware of the water you are drinking and where you are swimming. Farm ponds, for example, may be contaminated.

6. WASH YOUR HANDS. A good source of information about E. coli O157:H7 and other diseases is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: http://www.cdc.gov.

Eat safely, keep healthy and enjoy the holidays.

Send comments to webmaster George Reeves, email: greeves@stmargarets.org