Report within 24 hours of Diagnosis to the Local Health Department.
E. coli are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most strains are harmless. E. coli 0157:H7 is a specific strain of E. coli that causes illness. A person becomes infected with E. coli 0157:H7 by swallowing the bacteria. This can occur when a person eats food which has been contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7, most often undercooked ground beef and raw milk. It can also spread within families, child care centers, and other institutional settings. Symptoms may be mild to severe including diarrhea (which may be bloody).
