Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection is from a bacterium. It leads to inflamed bowels. The illness ranges from mild to life-threatening.
There are different types of E.coli bacteria. A certain type causes bowel infection. It comes from contact with the stools of infected people and animals. The bacteria enters the mouth and passes to the digestive tract. This can happen from:
E. coli infections are more common in children under 5 years old.
Other things that raise the risk are:
Symptoms of E. coli infection include:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. A sample of stool may be tested. It will confirm the diagnosis.
If symptoms are severe, blood and urine tests may be done.
Most people get better in 5 to 10 days. Treatment may include fluids by mouth or IV. Severe infections or other problems may need further care.
To reduce the risk of an E. coli infection:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Public Health Agency of Canada
E. coli infection. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/e-coli-infection. Accessed March 31, 2021.
E. coli (Escherichia coli). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli. Accessed March 31, 2021.
Enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli (EHEC) infection. . EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/enterohemorrhagic-escherichia-coli-ehec-infection. Accessed March 31, 2021.
Yang SC, Lin CH, et al. Current pathogenic Escherichia coli foodborne outbreak cases and therapy development. Arch Microbiol. 2017;199(6):811-825.
Last reviewed December 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board David L. Horn, MD, FACP Last Updated: 3/31/2021