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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