E. coli is naturally found in the intestines of mammals and is usually spread through contamination of food or water with fecal matter. The strain of E. coli that is most dangerous to humans, E. coli O157:H7, has been found in a wide variety of foods and liquids such as:
- ground beef
- salami
- alfalfa sprouts
- lettuce
- spinach
- mushrooms
- shellfish
- unpasteurized milk
- apple juice and cider
- well water
Contact with live animals can also lead to an E. coli infection.
One may also become infected by E. coli when swimming in an unchlorinated contaminated swimming pool or lakes, or in a bath tub with shared bathwater. Water is an often-overlooked source of E. coli infection. Animals or small children may defecate in a pool, lake, or bathtub, and their fecal matter may contaminate the water with E. coli.
Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, E. coli, 2007. Online at http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/ecoli/Transmission.htm
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