National Law Firm Representing E. coli Victims

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7

The symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 can include:


  • Severe cramps

  • Watery and/or bloody Diarrhea

  • Possible mild fever

  • Possible nausea or vomiting

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 may appear between 3 to 10 days after first becoming infected with the bacteria. The first sign is severe, sudden abdominal cramps. Watery diarrhea starts a few hours after the abdominal pains begin. This causes your body to lose a lot of fluid and can cause which can leave you feeling nauseated and weak. Try to drink a lot of fluids to replace any lost with the diarrhea.

After about one day, the watery diarrhea will turn into bright red, bloody stools because E. coli O157:H7 produces a Shiga-like toxin known as verotoxin that destroys red blood cells and platelets. The bloody diarrhea can last between two to five days, with ten or more bowel movements each day. Your stools may appear to be more blood than stool.

You may have a mild fever, but usually E. coli O157:H7 infections do not produce fevers. Other possible symptoms can include nausea or vomiting. You should call your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms, especially bloody diarrhea. In some cases, E. coli infections accompanied by bloody diarrhea develop into hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a leading cause of kidney failure that can also damage other organs.

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E. coli O157:H7 Symptoms

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Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 usually begin to show 2 to 8 days after exposure to the bacteria. Symptoms often include severe bloody diarrhea or abdominal cramps without a fever. Sometimes non-bloody diarrhea or even no symptoms occur. The illness typically subsides after 5 to 10 days.

In high risk patients such as the elderly and children under 5 years, infection with E. coli O157:H7 can cause a very severe complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is caused by a toxin produced by the E. coli known as shiga-like toxins. These toxins destroy red blood cells and can cause kidney failure.

Symptoms of HUS may not occur until a week after typical E. coli symptoms occur. Signs can include small bruises or bleeding from the nose that are unexplained. Another common symptom is a reduction in urine output, which is a result of kidney malfunction. Urine may also appear red. The lack of urine can in turn cause high blood pressure or swelling of the face, hands, feet or entire body.

If you would like more information on E. coli O157:H7 and its symptoms, see the CDC website. Another good website is the National Institute of Health website.

Pritzker | Ruohonen has a national practice and represents E. coli victims throughout the United States. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the online contact form.

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