Among the many strains of E. coli bacteria, E. coli O157:H7 is the one that is responsible for the majority of foodborne illnesses in the United States (1). E. coli O157:H7 was first identified in 1982 when it was traced to illnesses that were caused by undercooked hamburgers from a fast-food restaurant chain (2).

The Origin of E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 originates from the intestines of cattle and other animals (3). The animals that harbor E. coli O157:H7 often shed the bacteria in their manure, which can spread the organism to the environment where it can survive for prolonged periods. Manure used as fertilizer can contaminate produce and water with E. coli O157:H7 (4). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the state of California recently reported that animal encroachment onto growing fields can spread the E. coli O157:H7 to produce (5). E. coli O157:H7 can also contaminate meat during the slaughtering process, and grinding contaminated meat for ground beef can result in thousands or even millions of pounds of ground beef being contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The Incidence of E. coli O157:H7

Though most cases of E. coli O157:H7 food poisoning result from contaminated ground beef, other outbreaks have been linked to spinach, lettuce, pepperoni pizza, unpasteurized apple and orange juice and milk, alfalfa sprouts, and even water.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 73,000 E. coli O157:H7 infections occur in the United States each year. On average, 2,100 people with E. coli O157:H7 infections are hospitalized each year (6).

E. coli O157:H7, Hemorrhagic Colitis, and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

E. coli O157:H7 produces a Shiga toxin that produces ulcers in the colon. When these ulcers bleed, the medical condition is called hemorrhagic colitis, a sign of which is bloody diarrhea. When Shiga toxin spreads throughout the body it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening condition that is one of the leading causes of kidney failure in the United States (7).

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1. Frenzen PD, Drake A, Angulo FJ, et al. Economic cost of illness due to Escherichia coli O157 infections in the United States. J Food Prot 2005;68(12):2623-30 [Abstract]
2. Riley LW, Remis RS, Helgerson SD, et al. Hemorrhagic colitis associated with a rare Escherichia coli serotype. N Engl J Med 1983;308(12):681-5 [Abstract]
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4. AAP. Escherichia coli diarrhea. In: Pickering LK, ed. Red Book: 2003 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. Ed 26. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 200
5. FDA. Investigation of an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with Dole pre-packaged spinach. Mar 21, 2007 [Full text]
6. CDC. Technical fact sheet on E. coli O157:H7 [Full text]
7. Robinson CM, Sinclair JF, Smith MJ, et al. Shiga toxin of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli type O157:H7 promotes intestinal colonization. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2006 Jun 20;103(25):9667-72 [Full text]