Public Health Question

Presented By
Monmouth County Regional Health Commission No. 1

May 22, 2018

 What are the symptoms of e-coli strain 0157:H7?
What foods might harbor the bacteria?

Answer:

 The typical symptoms to watch for and discuss with your healthcare provider when E.coli O157:H7 (STEC) is suspected are:

Diarrhea (mild), bloody diarrhea (especially after up to 48 hours of non-bloody diarrhea episodes), nausea, vomiting and cramps, as per NJDOH clinical description. Fever is usually not present (NJDOH, 2015).

Exposures to keep in mind are usually undercooked beef, unpasteurized milk and juices, raw vegetables and any food that could be contaminated (NJDOH, 2015). However, from the beginning of this spring season (March-April 2018), the food exposure of concern is Romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona. As of now, all pre-chopped AND whole hearts of Romaine lettuce from the regions of Yuma, Arizona should be discarded at home, recalled from food markets and avoided until the end of the outbreak and new batches are no longer contaminated.

The incubation period of E. coli O157:H7 is generally from 2-8 days after exposure, before symptoms begin to appear (NJDOH, 2015).

Please note that positive lab results will initiate a confidential investigative call from your local health department in order to gather any necessary facts of your exposure that will help to stop the chain of infection from spreading throughout the general public.

New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services (NJDOH), 2015. Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC) Including E. Coli O157:H7. Available at http://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/chapters/ecoli_ch.pdf. Accessed April 2018.