How long e coli last

This can sometimes lead to kidney failure and death, although this is rare. The risk of HUS is highest in children aged under five years. Find out more about gastroenteritis. There is no specific treatment for E. People who are infected can usually be cared for at home and most will get better without medical treatment. You should contact your GP or call NHS as soon as possible if you or your child has bloody diarrhoea.

Anti-diarrhoea drugs such as loperamide Imodium are also not recommended as they may prolong your exposure to the toxin. Find out more about caring for a child with gastroenteritis and caring for an adult with gastroenteritis. Anyone who has had an E. Most people are no longer infectious after about a week, although some people, particularly children, may carry E. Home Illnesses and conditions Infections and poisoning Escherichia coli E.

Escherichia coli E. About escherichia coli O Escherichia coli O, sometimes called VTEC, is a bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure. It is an uncommon cause of gastroenteritis but can be caught by: Eating contaminated food such as raw leafy vegetables or undercooked meat. Washing may reduce the risk of infection, but will not eliminate any risk of infection completely. Touching infected animals or accidentally coming into contact with their faeces.

What are the symptoms? How long does it last? How is it spread? People can become infected by: Eating contaminated food, such as: undercooked hamburger raw produce items, such as sprouts and lettuce Drinking unpasteurized milk, juice, or cider. Swallowing recreational water contaminated with E.

Contact with farm animals or pets. Touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching their mouth or putting a contaminated object into their mouth. Not washing hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and then eating foods. What should I do if I have symptoms? Contact your health care provider. Note that antibiotic treatment is not helpful for E. Wash your hands often. Most people with a STEC infection start feeling sick 3 to 4 days after eating or drinking something that contains the bacteria.

However, illnesses can start anywhere from 1 to 10 days after exposure. HUS develops about 7 days after symptoms first appear, when diarrhea is improving. Clues that someone is developing HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids. People with HUS should be hospitalized because their kidneys may stop working and they may develop other serious problems.

Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Questions and Answers. Minus Related Pages. Shiga toxin-producing E. This pathotype is the one most commonly heard about in the news in association with foodborne outbreaks.

Enterotoxigenic E. Open All Close All. What are Escherichia coli? What are Shiga toxin-producing E. Are there important differences between E. Who gets STEC infections?

What are the symptoms of STEC infections? How soon do symptoms appear after exposure? Where do STEC come from? How are these infections spread? Where did my infection come from? How common are STEC infections? What is the best treatment for STEC infection? Should an infected person be excluded from school or work?

How can STEC infections be prevented? COOK meats thoroughly.