These problems can cause kidney failure and sometimes long-term disability or death in some children and older adults. The medical evaluation for diarrhea that may be caused by disease-causing E.
During the medical history, your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms, such as:. Infection with E.
A doctor may suspect you have E. During the medical history, your doctor may ask if you have:. During the physical examination, a doctor will usually:. Doctors who suspect E. Because the bacteria can leave the body in only a few days, the sample should be obtained as soon as possible after symptoms appear. Other tests are sometimes used when the diagnosis is unclear, but these are not yet widely available. If a child or older adult is diagnosed with E. Monitoring requires blood and urine tests to measure essential elements of blood and body fluids.
Treatment of infection with disease-causing E. If you develop symptoms of severe blood or kidney problems, such as anemia or kidney failure, your treatment may include:.
Most people recover from E. Antibiotics are not recommended. Tell your doctor if you think you may have E. Non-prescription or prescription diarrhea medicines usually are not used to treat E. Many antidiarrheal products slow the rate at which food and waste products move through the intestines.
This may allow more time for the body to absorb the poisons produced by the bacteria, increasing the risk of complications such as severe blood and kidney problems. Avoid these non-prescription products if you have or suspect you have an E. Prescription diarrhea medicines may be harmful when given to a person with E. A doctor may prescribe one of these medicines if he or she does not know that E.
Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Sharing information is important to get the proper diagnosis of your condition. Avoid diphenoxylate with atropine Lomotil prescription medicine if you have or think you may have an E.
Home treatment of infection with disease-causing E. If you aren't infected, take steps to prevent infection. If you think that you or someone in your care may be infected with E.
Do not treat diarrhea symptoms with any non-prescription or prescription medicines. Especially in children and adults age 65 and older, watch for symptoms of severe blood and kidney problems, such as fever, weakness, pale skin, or passing small amounts of urine. If any of these symptoms develop, see a doctor immediately. Current as of: September 23, Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: E. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Topic Overview What is an E. What causes an E. Bacteria can spread from a cow's udders to its milk. Check the labels on dairy products to make sure they contain the word "pasteurized.
Raw fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, or unpasteurized apple cider or other unpasteurized juices that have come in contact with infected animal feces. What are the symptoms? Stomach cramps. Nausea and vomiting. A fever. Passing only small amounts of urine. How is an E. How is it treated? How do you prevent an E. In the kitchen, wash your hands with hot, soapy water often, especially after you touch raw meat. Wash any tools or kitchen surfaces that have touched raw meat.
Use only pasteurized milk, dairy, and juice products. Use only treated, or chlorinated, drinking water. When you travel to countries that may have unsafe drinking water, don't use ice or drink tap water. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables, except those with skin that you peel yourself. This content does not have an Arabic version.
Sections for E. Overview Escherichia coli E. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references E. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Aug. World Health Organization. Holtz LR, et al. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: Microbiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, and prevention.
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment. Goldman L, et al. Escherichia coli enteric infections. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine.
Elsevier; CDT E. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. Reviewed: May 4, Medically Reviewed. Escherichia coli , better known as E. Two more common types of E. A specific strain called E. STEC produces a toxin that damages the lining of the small intestine, often leading to symptoms such as: Watery diarrhea , which can be severe and bloody Nausea Dehydration due to diarrhea Severe stomach cramps Fatigue Potentially feeling an urge to defecate but being unable to, per the Merck Manual Less common symptoms include vomiting and a mild fever of less than degrees F While symptoms of an E.
Sometimes it can take up to 10 days after eating or drinking something that contains the bacteria before you develop symptoms. In fact, there are six pathogenic E. When an animal is slaughtered, E. And before slaughter, E. But the bacteria can be killed if the meat is cooked properly and thoroughly. For ground beef, that means an internal temperature of degrees F, as measured with a food thermometer.
Food poisoning due to E. People can also pass E. First, your doctor will ask about your symptoms. Then, to confirm you have an infection caused by E. The lab can determine specific strains of E. If you get a STEC infection, you can start to feel sick anywhere from 1 to 10 days after eating or drinking something with the bacteria. Most healthy adults can completely recover from a STEC infection after about a week without any medical intervention. Diarrhea often resolves on its own within one to eight days in 85 percent of those infected.
That said, if you have diarrhea for more than three days, plus a fever of degrees F or higher, or have any other concerns about your symptoms or specifics risks to you given your prior medical history, you should contact your doctor. Antibiotics can be an effective treatment for E. But there is no specific drug treatment recommended for a STEC infection. Antibiotics should not be used to treat an E. See the Complications section below for more on HUS.
Instead, supportive therapies, such as hydration and rest, are recommended. Here are some things you can do at home to help aid recovery, per Mayo Clinic:.
Young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to experience severe STEC symptoms or to develop HUS, according to past research. With HUS, E. In general, HUS develops about seven days after E. Additional symptoms include:.
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