Tipton, KS | JohnW - 2/7/2026 01:05
raw milk health crisis in the Boise, Idaho, area right now.
Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) - How do you get STEC?
Cases and outbreaks of STEC have been associated with the consumption of undercooked beef (especially ground beef), unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized apple juice, contaminated water, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and venison jerky. The bacteria have also been isolated from poultry, pork and lamb. Person-to-person spread, via fecal-oral transmission, may occur in high-risk settings like day care centers and nursing homes. Further studies are being done to better understand the modes of transmission.
How long can a person carry STEC?
In adults, STEC infections generally resolve within one week. In children infected with this bacteria, about one-third will carry and continue to shed the bacteria in their stool for up to three weeks. Prolonged carriage/shedding of the bacteria in the feces has been documented.
Do infected people need to be excluded from work, school or day care setting?
Since STEC is passed in the feces, infected persons with diarrhea and those who are unable to control their bowel habits should be excluded until there are two negative stools. Specific guidelines regarding return to work or school may vary depending on individual situations; consultations with the local or state health department is recommended.
What are the symptoms of a STEC infection?
Typical symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, sudden onset of watery diarrhea, frequently bloody, and sometimes vomiting and a low-grade fever. Most often the illness is mild and self-limited, generally lasting 1-3 days. However, serious complications such as hemorrhagic colitis, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), or postdiarrheal thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can occur in up to 10% of cases.
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p4/p42158.pdf |
Ultra-pasteurized????
