Infectious Disease in The News Media-- E.coli 0157 h7 - Essay Example

They possess factors responsible for causing postdiarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), affecting children and elderly population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports, every year approximately 73,000 cases are reported displaying E. coli infection in United States (Brigham and Women’s Hospital). Mode of Transmission: E. coli 0157 h7 is responsible for causing bloody diarrhea due to consumption of contaminated raw hamburger meat, spinach, lettuce, sprouts, unpasteurized milk, apple juice, apple cider, salami and also by contaminated drinking water, swimming pools, direct contact with the patient (Brigham and Women’s Hospital).

Symptoms: the disease onsets after 2-5 days of consumption of contaminated food/ liquids and continues for eight days with severe abdominal contractions, bloody/ non-bloody diarrhea, with mild to no sign of increase in temperature or fever, tiredness, weakness, nausea, HUS, which may be fatal (Brigham and Women’s Hospital). Food articles must be properly cooked including pork, sheep, meat or sausage, especially uncooked hamburger should be totally avoided. Thorough washing of fruits and vegetables must be done; raw milk should not be consumed.

Consumption of pasteurized milk, milk products, juices and ciders must be encouraged. Proper hygiene should be maintained like washing hands before eating food with soap and water, hand washing must be a regular practice even after using toilet. Drinking or potable water must be pure and free of any kind of contamination, if consuming corporation water then adequate level of chlorine should be checked. When in beach or swimming pool then one must avoid ingesting lake or pool water. Care must be taken with the utmost concern not to allow people having diarrhea to swimming pools or lakes, or to bathe with others or to prepare food for others (Brigham and Women’s Hospital).

Ackman D, Birkhead G, Root T, Caldwell M, Marks S, Mack P.