| We live in a fast food mentality society. | | | | through their feces. Anyone with diarrheal |
| Everything must get to market faster to | | | | illness should not swim, bath with others or |
| satisfy the rising demands of its ever | | | | prepare food. |
| growing population of hungry consumers.The | | | | |
| meat industry has successfully stepped up to | | | | 8. Since livestock are the primary source of |
| the plate and have delivered. But many meat | | | | E. Coli changes must be made in the |
| producers are operating with very poor | | | | preparation before and during slaughter and |
| sanitary methods. Resulting in E. Coli | | | | processing of the livestock. Tests must also |
| warnings, illnesses and sometimes death! Over | | | | become mandatory and the meat withheld from |
| 70,000 people are infected with E. Coli | | | | market if it is found to be contaminated! |
| O157:H7 and less than 61 deaths attributed to | | | | |
| E.Coli occur each year.What is E. Coli?E. | | | | 9. Prevent environment contamination of |
| Coli O157:H7 is just one of the hundreds of | | | | fields and their water sources. |
| strains of the bacterium known as Escherichia | | | | |
| coli. This particular strain has a powerful | | | | 10. Avoid swallowing water from lakes, |
| toxin that can result in severe illness and | | | | pools.How is E. Coli O157:H7 being |
| in some cases even death. Most E. Coli | | | | spread?Meat is being contaminated during the |
| outbreaks have been the result of eating | | | | slaughter process and is accidentally being |
| undercooked contaminated ground beef.How do | | | | mixed in during the grounding of the meat. In |
| people become infected with E. Coli | | | | cases of becoming infected by raw milk it is |
| O157:H7?1. Eating undercooked, contaminated | | | | because the udders of the cow or the milking |
| ground beef. | | | | equipment were not properly cleansed or |
| | | | cleaned.Please note E. Coli O157:H7 can be |
| 2. Eating contaminated fresh leafy | | | | found in the intestines of healthy animals |
| vegetables and or bean sprouts. | | | | including cattle, sheep, goats and deer. This |
| | | | bacteria can be found at most cattle farms |
| 3. Contamination by means of Person to | | | | and petting zoos. The fur, ground, feeders |
| Person contact. | | | | and waterers, railings can be contaminated |
| | | | with this bacteria. So it is absolutely |
| 4. Drinking contaminated unpastuerized milk | | | | imperative that you clean and wash yourself |
| or juices. | | | | and your clothing should you visit a farm, |
| | | | petting zoo, animal exhibit or show. I |
| 5. Drinking contaminated water | | | | suggest carrying antiseptic bacterial |
| | | | fighting wipes in your car, purse, backpack |
| 6. Swimming in contaminated water. | | | | or what have you. Young children must be |
| | | | supervised and their hands must be kept away |
| 7. Eating unwashed fruits or vegetables | | | | from their face and mouths.What are the |
| where manure has been used as fertilizer or | | | | symptoms of E. Coli O157:H7?Generally people |
| has contaminated the water source used to | | | | who are exposed to E. Coli O157:H7 can become |
| irrigate the fields. Manure is a primary | | | | ill any where from two to eight days after |
| source of E.Coli O157:H7.How can we prevent | | | | exposure. Some of the symptoms may include |
| E.Col | | | | severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, |
| | | | little or no fever. Not all of those infected |
| i O157:H7 infection?1. Wash your hand prior | | | | will experience these symptoms. The illness |
| to and after handling food. | | | | ends within five to ten days.In children |
| | | | under the age of five and in the elderly the |
| 2. Be sure to ALWAYS thoroughly cook ground | | | | E. Coli O157:H7 can cause hemolytic uremic |
| beef. | | | | syndrome (HUS), where the red blood cells are |
| | | | destroyed and the kidneys subsequently fail. |
| 3. Only drink pasteurized milk. | | | | (HUS) is a life threatening condition that is |
| | | | generally treated in an intensive care unit |
| 4. Wash fruits and vegetables well. Removes | | | | and blood transfusions and or kidney dialysis |
| outside leaves or peel and discard the skins | | | | may be required.The way to diagnose E.Coli is |
| or peelings. | | | | is by testing stool sample for the bacterium. |
| | | | As far as treatment goes, it is not |
| 5. Only drink pasteurized juices. | | | | recommended to receive antibiotics. Most |
| | | | patients recover without complications in |
| 6. Thoroughly cook salami | | | | five to ten days. Anti diarrhea medications |
| | | | should not be used as well.If you have a |
| 7. Develope good hygiene habits and wash | | | | bloody stool see your Dr. immediately and ask |
| hands often! Especially when interacting with | | | | to be tested for E. |
| babies or toddlers, because it is transmitted | | | | |