It is estimated that at least 280 million to 400 million children under the age of five are infected with ETEC virus every year, mainly in developing countries. According to emory's research, children under 5 years old usually lack natural immunity to contact.
Although Escherichia coli can spread and enter the human body in many ways, according to the research of the University of California, San Francisco, about 85% of infections come from food. When bacteria spread from animal intestines during slaughter or processing, meat will be polluted. If fresh agricultural products enter the water source, they may also be contaminated by bacteria, such as the outbreak of Escherichia coli on 20 18 lettuce.
Pathogenic Escherichia coli can be ingested together with undercooked ground beef, soft cheese made from raw milk, fresh agricultural products, grains and even contaminated food. According to the regulations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, beverages include water, unpasteurized milk and fruit juice.
You can also get infected if you don't wash your hands carefully. These hands come into contact with animals (especially livestock), or people or objects come into contact with harmful bacteria. Swimming in polluted water can also cause Escherichia coli infection, especially if you swallow any water.
Although Escherichia coli can infect anyone, some people are more prone to symptoms than others, including young children and the elderly, as well as people with weakened immune system or decreased gastric acid levels. According to the Mayo Clinic,
According to UCSF, symptoms of Escherichia coli usually appear 0-8 days after eating contaminated food or drink. Most infected people will have symptoms such as diarrhea and stomach cramps, and some people will have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and fever.
Some infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a potentially life-threatening disease. HUS leads to the destruction of red blood cells, leading to renal failure. According to CDC's estimation, 5% to 10% of STEC infected people may develop into HUS. Symptoms include decreased urination, drowsiness, and loss of pink on cheeks and inner eyelids. Experts strongly recommend that if the above symptoms appear, you should seek medical attention immediately. According to data from the University of California, San Francisco, E.coli.
It also caused about 90% urinary tract infections. According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of urinary tract infection include a strong desire to urinate, burning sensation when urinating, and turbid or strong urine smell. Women, especially those who are sexually active, because of the short urethral length and the diagnosis and treatment of "KDSP" and "KDSP", doctors diagnose Escherichia coli infection by detecting bacteria and specific toxins in stool samples, according to Mayo Clinic. "KDSP" and "KDSP" Escherichia coli infections are usually not treated with antibiotics unless the infection is parenteral. Just like a urinary tract infection. However, in the intestine, Sarah Fankhauser, a microbiologist at Oxford College of Emory University in Georgia, said, "Antibiotics may kill other beneficial bacteria in the intestine, thus providing more space and nutrition for the growth of E.coli." Infection, because drugs can slow down the digestive system and prevent the body from expelling toxins produced by Escherichia coli. On the contrary, most healthy adults usually recover from infection within one week through rest and proper hydration.
Prevention According to UCSF, there are several ways to prevent harmful E.coli infection:
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water regularly after going to the toilet, changing diapers and touching infected people, before handling or eating food, and after touching livestock. Wash fresh agricultural products properly, cook meat to a safe internal temperature, store food safely in the refrigerator or freezer, and thaw food in the refrigerator or microwave oven. Wash hands, counters, chopping boards, tableware and anything that may come into contact with raw meat with hot water, soapy water or disinfectant, and keep the food preparation area clean. Separate raw meat from cooked meat and other foods. Drink and eat pasteurized products, including milk, juice and cheese. Avoid swallowing water when swimming in swimming pools, lakes or other water bodies. Patients with diarrhea should avoid swimming in public places, using toilets or preparing food for others to avoid the spread of infection. Diarrhea, including diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli, is a major health problem all over the world. The development of vaccines aims at reducing the number of infected people and ultimately reducing the number of deaths caused by disease-related complications, especially among young children.
The review published in Microbiological Frontiers 2065438+2008 concluded that in the past decades, researchers have tried various methods to develop effective Escherichia coli vaccines. Fankhauser said that so far, scientists have developed basic vaccines to treat travelers' diarrhea, but they are not very effective and only target a few specific strains.
A new and potential field of vaccine research is the development of personalized Escherichia coli vaccine based on individual blood type. 20 18 a study published in the journal of clinical investigation found that the severity of symptoms caused by Escherichia coli infection is related to a person's blood type.
Another research group in the United States and Europe has made progress in developing vaccines to prevent urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli. The organization's preliminary study published in the journal Infectious Diseases of The Lancet in 20 17 showed that their vaccine effectively and safely reduced urinary tract infections in more than 30 female patients.
Other resources:
Read more about E.coli from Cleveland Clinic. Learn more about the ongoing research on Escherichia coli from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Overview of the basic knowledge of Escherichia coli in the National Library of Medicine of the United States