Urinary tract infections are the most common infection caused by E. coli, and people may also develop intestinal infections by eating contaminated food (such as undercooked ground beef), touching infected animals, or swallowing contaminated water.
Intestinal infections can cause diarrhea, sometimes severe or bloody, and abdominal pain.
Antibiotics can effectively treat E. coli infections outside the digestive tract and most intestinal infections but are not used to treat intestinal infections by one strain of these bacteria.
(See also Overview of Bacteria Overview of Bacteria Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms. They are among the earliest known life forms on earth. There are thousands of different kinds of bacteria, and they live in every conceivable... read more .)
Some strains of E. coli normally inhabit the digestive tract of healthy people. However, some strains of E. coli have acquired genes that enable them to cause infection.
The most common infection caused by E. coli is
In women, E. coli is the most common cause of
Other infections that can result from E. coli include the following:
Gallbladder infection
Infections that develop after appendicitis Appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation and infection of the appendix. Often a blockage inside the appendix causes the appendix to become inflamed and infected. Abdominal pain, nausea, and fever are common... read more and diverticulitis Diverticulitis Diverticulitis is inflammation of one or more balloon-like sacs (diverticula). Infection may or may not develop. Diverticulitis usually affects the large intestine (colon). Left lower abdominal... read more
Wound infections (including wounds made during surgery)
Many E. coli infections affecting areas outside the digestive tract develop in people who are debilitated, who are staying in a health care facility, or who have taken antibiotics.
E. coli can cause infections outside the intestine if the intestine is torn or damaged—for example, by an injury or a disorder, such as inflammatory bowel disease Overview of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) In inflammatory bowel diseases, the intestine (bowel) becomes inflamed, often causing recurring abdominal pain and diarrhea. The two primary types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are Crohn... read more . Then, the bacteria may leave the intestine and spread to nearby structures that have no defenses against them or they may enter the bloodstream.
One strain produces a toxin that causes brief watery diarrhea. This disorder (called traveler’s diarrhea Traveler’s Diarrhea Traveler’s diarrhea is an infection characterized by diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting that commonly occur in travelers to areas of the world with poor water purification. Traveler's diarrhea can... read more ) usually occurs in travelers who consume contaminated food or water in areas where water is not adequately purified.
E. coli O157:H7 infection
Certain strains of E. coli produce toxins that damage the colon and cause severe inflammation (colitis). In North America, E. coli O157:H7 is the most common of these strains, but there are over 100 others. These strains are sometimes collectively referred to as enterohemorrhagic E. coli (entero means intestinal, and hemorrhagic means bleeding).
People are usually infected with these strains by doing the following:
Eating contaminated ground beef that is not cooked thoroughly (one of the most common sources) or drinking unpasteurized milk
Going to a petting zoo and touching animals that carry the bacteria in their digestive tract
Eating ready-to-eat food (such as produce at salad bars) that was washed with contaminated water or contaminated by cattle manure
Swallowing inadequately chlorinated water that has been contaminated by the stool of infected people in swimming or wading pools
Inadequate hygiene, particularly common among young children in diapers, can easily spread the bacteria from person to person.
E. coli O157:H7 infection can occur in people of all ages, although severe infection is most common among children and older people.
Symptoms of E. coli Infections
E. coli symptoms depend on the part of the body affected and the strain of E. coli causing the infection.
Traveler's diarrhea
People with traveler’s diarrhea Traveler’s Diarrhea Traveler’s diarrhea is an infection characterized by diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting that commonly occur in travelers to areas of the world with poor water purification. Traveler's diarrhea can... read more have abdominal cramping and watery diarrhea and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Symptoms are usually mild and resolve in 3 to 5 days.
E. coli O157:H7
Infections due to E. coli O157:H7 and other enterohemorrhagic E. coli typically begin with severe abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea Diarrhea in Adults Diarrhea is an increase in the volume, wateriness, or frequency of bowel movements. (See also Diarrhea in Children.) The frequency of bowel movements alone is not the defining feature of diarrhea... read more , which may become bloody within 24 hours. (This disease is sometimes called hemorrhagic colitis.) People usually have severe abdominal pain and diarrhea many times a day. They also often feel an urge to defecate but may not be able to. Most people do not have a fever.
Because the infection is easily spread, people must often be hospitalized and isolated.
The diarrhea may resolve on its own in 1 to 8 days if no problems develop. However, E. coli O157:H7 infection is often very severe and may cause serious problems (such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome) as the diarrhea lessens.
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS) Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a serious disorder that usually occurs in children and involves the formation of small blood clots throughout the body that block the flow of blood to vital... read more is a complication that develops in about 5 to 10% of people (mainly children under 5 years and adults over 60 years) about 1 week after symptoms begin. In this syndrome, red blood cells are destroyed (called hemolysis), and kidney failure Overview of Kidney Failure Kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to adequately filter metabolic waste products from the blood. Kidney failure has many possible causes. Some lead to a rapid decline in kidney function... read more occurs, causing toxic substances to build up in the blood (called uremia). This complication is a common cause of chronic kidney disease in children.
E. coli O157:H7 infection may result in death, especially in older people, whether hemolytic-uremic syndrome develops or not.
Diagnosis of E. coli Infections
Culture of samples of urine, stool, or other infected material
Samples of blood, stool, urine, or other infected material are taken and sent to a laboratory to grow (culture) the bacteria. Identifying the bacteria in the sample confirms the diagnosis.
If E. coli O157:H7 is suspected, doctors do a stool test for Shiga toxins, which are produced by these bacteria. This test provides results quickly.
If the bacteria are identified, they may be tested to see which antibiotics are effective (a process called susceptibility testing Testing a Microorganism's Susceptibility and Sensitivity to Antimicrobial Drugs Infectious diseases are caused by microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Doctors suspect an infection based on the person's symptoms, physical examination results,... read more ).
If E. coli O157:H7 is detected, blood tests must be done frequently to check for hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
Prevention of E. coli Infections
Prevention of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli involves drinking enough fluids and avoiding contamination of the urethra (the opening where urine comes out) with stool. Females, for example, should wipe from front to back after urinating or having a bowel movement.
Prevention of E. coli O157:H7 infection involves
Avoiding unpasteurized milk and other dairy products made from unpasteurized milk
Thoroughly cooking beef
Thoroughly washing the hands with soap and running water after using the toilet, changing diapers, and having contact with animals or their environment and before and after preparing or eating food
Not swallowing water when swimming or when playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools, or backyard "kiddie" pools
In the United States, improved meat processing procedures have helped reduce the rate of meat contamination.
To prevent spread of infection in day care centers, staff members may group together children who are known to be infected. Or they may ask for proof that the infection is gone (negative results on two stool cultures) before they allow infected children to attend.
Treatment of E. coli Infections
For many infections, antibiotics
For traveler's diarrhea, loperamide and sometimes antibiotics
For diarrhea due to E. coli O157:H7, fluids
Treatment of E. coli infection varies depending on
Where the infection is
How severe it is
Which type of E. coli is causing it
For example, if infections have caused an abscess, surgery may be done to drain the pus.
Traveler's diarrhea
People with traveler’s diarrhea Treatment Traveler’s diarrhea is an infection characterized by diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting that commonly occur in travelers to areas of the world with poor water purification. Traveler's diarrhea can... read more should drink plenty of fluids.
Loperamide can be given to slow movement of food through the intestine and thus help control diarrhea. This drug is not used if people have diarrhea and a fever, have bloody diarrhea, have recently used antibiotics, have small amounts of blood in the stool that are too small to be seen, or are under 2 years of age. Use of this drug is limited in children 2 to 18 years of age.
If diarrhea is moderate to severe, antibiotics (such as azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, or rifaximin) are usually given to end symptoms more quickly. Antibiotics are usually not needed for mild diarrhea.
If diarrhea is accompanied by a fever or is bloody, travelers should see a doctor.
Preventive antibiotics (prophylaxis) are recommended only for people have a weakened immune system. The antibiotic most commonly recommended is rifaximin. Some travelers may consider taking the nonantibiotic bismuth subsalicylate for prophylaxis.
Diarrhea due to E. coli O157:H7
Many people with diarrhea due to E. coli O157:H7 need to be given fluids containing salts intravenously.
This infection is not treated with loperamide or antibiotics. Antibiotics may make diarrhea worse and increase the risk of hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
If hemolytic-uremic syndrome develops, people are admitted to an intensive care unit and may require hemodialysis Hemodialysis Dialysis is an artificial process for removing waste products and excess fluids from the body, a process that is needed when the kidneys are not functioning properly. There are a number of reasons... read more 
.
Other E. coli infections
Many other E. coli infections, usually bladder or other urinary tract infections Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) In healthy people, urine in the bladder is sterile—no bacteria or other infectious organisms are present. The tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body (urethra) contains no bacteria... read more , are treated with antibiotics, such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, nitrofurantoin, or a fluoroquinolone. However, many bacteria, particularly those acquired in a health care facility, are resistant to some antibiotics. To increase the chances that antibiotics will be effective, doctors may use several antibiotics together until they get the test results indicating which antibiotics are likely to be effective. After they get the results, they change the antibiotics used if needed.
For more serious infections, antibiotics that are effective against many different bacteria (broad-spectrum antibiotics) may be used.
More Information
The following English-language resource may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): E. coli: A resource providing information about E. coli, including outbreaks and prevention
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
loperamide |
Anti-Diarrheal, Imodium A-D, Imodium A-D EZ Chews , K-Pek II |
azithromycin |
Azasite, Zithromax, Zithromax Powder, Zithromax Single-Dose , Zithromax Tri-Pak, Zithromax Z-Pak, Zmax, Zmax Pediatric |
ciprofloxacin |
Cetraxal , Ciloxan, Cipro, Cipro XR, OTIPRIO, Proquin XR |
rifaximin |
Xifaxan |
bismuth subsalicylate |
Bismatrol , Geri-Pectate, Kaopectate, Kaopectolin , Kao-Tin , K-Pek, Maalox Total Stomach Relief, Peptic Relief , Pepto-Bismol, Pepto-Bismol Maximum Strength, Pepto-Bismol To-Go, Pink Bismuth, Stomach Relief |
trimethoprim |
Primsol, Proloprim, TRIMPEX |
nitrofurantoin |
Furadantin, Macrobid, Macrodantin, Urotoin |
