Medical Dictionary: E. coli O157:H7
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E. coli O157:H7: Another name for Escherichia coli O157:H7.
E. coli O157:H7: E. coli O157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the
bacterium Escherichia coli. Although most strains are harmless
and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals, this
strain produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness.
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E. coli O157:H7 was first recognized as a cause of illness
in 1982 during an outbreak of severe bloody diarrhea; the outbreak
was traced to contaminated hamburgers. Since then, most infections
have come from eating undercooked ground beef.
The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the bacterium
refers to the specific markers found on its surface and distinguishes
it from other types of E. coli.1
Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Escherichia coli O157:H7 General: DBMD
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