How to Treat E. Coli

E. coli, which is short for Escherichia coli, is a bacteria that is a leading cause of food borne illness. It has been estimated that over 72,000 people suffer from E. coli poisoning each year. Symptoms include severe stomach pain, cramping and diarrhea, sometimes with blood in the fecal matter. When not treated, E. coli can be fatal. Read on to learn how to treat E. coli.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Physician
• Antibiotics

1. Recognize the symptoms. E. coli is more severe than a routine upset stomach. Symptoms include severe pain, cramping, nausea and diarrhea.

2. Obtain a diagnosis. Only a doctor can diagnose E. coli poisoning with complete accuracy. Before attempting to treat E. coli, it is important to know for certain whether or not you have been poisoned by the bacteria.

3. Discuss your options, since a variety of treatments are available to patients suffering from E. coli. Ask your physician about which treatment is best suited for you. Additionally, you can learn more about E. coli at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. See the Resources section below for a link.

4. Take your medicine. The most common prescription for an E. coli poisoning is an antibiotic like amoxicillin. To ensure the efficacy of your prescription, make sure to take all of the medication as prescribed by your doctor. Additionally, physicians might provide other medications to help treat the uncomfortable effects of E. coli.

5. Maintain a positive outlook. Though extremely painful and uncomfortable, as long as its treated with the proper medication, the E. coli infection will pass. Allow your body time to recover before resuming your daily activities, but understand that your sickness will likely be short-lived.

6. Determine the culprit. If undercooked meat was to blame, then there is no need to worry about an outbreak. However, if several cases of E. coli appear in the same region or after people ingested the same food, there might need to be a recall or warning to the public.

Tips & Warnings

• Prevention is the best form of treatment. E. coli is often spread through undercooked meat. All meat should be cooked until its internal temperature is at least 160 degrees F.
• Since E. coli can be fatal, if you suspect that you or someone you know has E. coli, seek medical attention immediately.
• Make sure the authorities are alerted if you are diagnosed with E. coli. There may need to be a recall or some other form of containment to prevent the spread of the illness.

Resources

• Centers for Disease Control Website

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