What is E. coli
E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a sort of microorganism that ordinarily lives in your digestion tracts and intestines. It enables the body to separate and process the food that we eat. Contaminations because of E. coli can cause severe diarrhea. A few cases can even lead to some very serious medical issues. Luckily, most healthy individuals who get the infection won’t encounter any major issues and usually will recuperate (get better) without any medical treatment.
Some particular strains of E. coli are very infectious and spread through contaminated food, water and other infected organisms. Unfortunately there has been a recent outbreak of a strain of E. coli that spreads through romaine lettuce.
Should We Stop Eating Lettuce
According to CDC ( The Center for Disease Control) the lettuce that has E.coli was grown in a few specific regions in California. When you go out to buy lettuce check and make sure that the lettuce you buy isn’t from Monterey, San Benito, or Santa Barbara County’s in California. Lettuce isn’t always sold separately and is usually included in a lot of spring and salad mixes. If the lettuce isn’t marked with any harvest district don’t buy it, because why take the risk?
Aside from grocery stores romaine lettuce is used in a variety of dishes ranging from BLT burgers to Caesar salads. When you go to a restaurant or order out make sure you know where their lettuce comes from. If that information isn’t provided then just steer clear of dishes that feature romaine lettuce altogether. What if you get the E. coli infection regardless of taking all of the precautionary steps?
Kids may only have minimal say as to what to buy from the stores and it’s mostly in the hands of the adults. Although, there was an E. coli outbreak in lettuce, E. coli can be spread through any meats, fruits, or vegetables. However, children can help as well. Here are three different ways you can prevent getting the infection:
- When you’re at a restaurant, get your burger well done. Eat it only if it’s dark inside colored, not pink.
- Try not to swallow lake, sea, or pool water. Just in case that the water contains any human or animal waste, it could contain the E. coli microbes.
- Properly wash your hands after you go to the restroom and especially before you eat. There are a lot of these microbes in poop. You really don’t want to eat some of those bacteria! Ewwwww!
What Are the Symptoms of the E. coli Infection
If you have the E. coli infection a quick diagnosis and prompt action is key to a fast recovery. Somebody who has an E. coli contamination may have these symptoms:
- Painful stomach cramps and bellyaches
- lots and lots of vomiting
- Diarrhea that may even have some blood in it
If you have any of these symptoms for more than 3 days see a doctor immediately! In the event that you have the side effects of E. coli harming, the doctor will run some blood tests and take an example of the individual’s stool (poop). The blood and stool can be used to verify whether a destructive strain of E. coli is present in your body. Make sure you double-check where your lettuce comes from for these next few months!
