The Centers for Disease Control Prevention of the United States has reported the death of an outbreak of the E. coli bacterium linked to a type of lettuce grown in the Yuma region of Arizona. Apparently everything began on April 21, when the first cases of infection were detected. Since then, more than 52 people have had to be hospitalized, which means a high average for this type of bacteria. Even so, the identified strain is especially virulent, so it is normal that the income is greater and that the complications multiply.
In principle, Escherichia coli is a bacterium that lives in the human intestine and that of cattle and pigs. It is usually harmless and at most only causes diarrhea, but some strains, like the one they are facing in the US, can become extremely dangerous. And it can cause diseases such as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, in which there is a renal failure and, sometimes like the one we are telling, be deadly.
What are the main symptoms?
They usually take an average of 3 to 4 days to appear once the contaminated food is consumed. They can include strong cramps in the stomach, diarrhea with blood and vomiting. Although it is normal to recover within a week, others may develop the kidney failure we were talking about, something that requires hospitalization. The strongest strains have learned to avoid the effect of most antibiotics, so you have to be very careful about getting infected. It is important to cook meat and vegetables at more than 70 degrees of temperature. In case of consuming raw meat, better separate it from other foods, and if it is vegetables, wash them well with water and a disinfectant product.
At the moment, the strain is controlled, but the Centers for Disease Control Prevention are on alert for what might happen.