'Fast-moving' E. coli outbreak prompts CDC investigation

coli, that has sickened at least 15 people in Michigan and 14 in Ohio, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced.

Nine people out of 29 have been hospitalized and no one has died.

coli that appears to be driving the outbreak is known as E. coli O157:H7 The CDC stated that this type ofbacteria can produce a poison called Shiga toxin that can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms. coli O157:H7 infections can cause a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can result in death and damage to the red blood cells. The risk of HUS is higher for children and elderly people.

Public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate the week before they got sick in order to identify any additional cases of illness. According to the CDC, it's likely that all of the people who got sick from eating the same food had the same strain of E coli.

The volunteers got sick after drinking the water.

The CDC's tally of E. coli cases in Michigan and Ohio is expected to increase soon because they haven't been included in the database. According to a statement from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 98 reports of E. coli infections this August as compared to 20 cases in the same time period in the previous year.

While reports of E. coli usually increase during the warmer summer months, this significant jump in cases is alarming. It's a good idea to follow best practices when it comes to hand hygiene and food handling.

If you have any of these symptoms, call your healthcare provider immediately.

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius)
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
• Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as not peeing much; dry mouth and throat; or feeling dizzy when standing up

coli tend to appear within one to 10 days of exposure, with most people falling ill within three to four days of swallowing the bacterium, according to the CDC Most people recover in five to seven days without the need for treatment, but those with serious infections like HUS may need to be hospitalized.

The following safety tips can be used.

• Clean: Wash your hands, utensils and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting or peeling.
• Separate: Keep food that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to a temperature high enough to kill germs.
• Chill: Refrigerate perishable food (food that goes bad) within 2 hours. If the food is exposed to temperatures above 90 F (32 C), for instance in a hot car or at a picnic, refrigerate within 1 hour. Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

People and businesses will be given advice if a contaminated food item is found.

It was originally published on Live Science