Association of Colleges

E.coli and Colleges

Publication date: 07 October 2009

E.coli
Important for: Agricultural Colleges, Colleges with children’s day nurseries

Background

Escherichia coli are a group of bacteria found in animal intestines and faeces.  Many varieties (or strains) of E.coli are harmless. In fact. some strains are necessary for digestion; But some are harmful, even deadly, such as the very rare and toxin-producing strain E.coli O111.  Also of particular concern is the virulent, sometimes deadly E.coli O157:H7 strain that is generally found to be the culprit in E.coli-related food-borne illness outbreaks.  Both strains are among those E.coli that may cause serious disease and death.

E.coli is more common where there are high populations of cattle and sheep.

Young children and the elderly are particularly at risk from the bacterium which can live in the ruminant gut and is shed in their faeces.
We do know that it takes very few bacteria to produce illness and that infections have been caused by the following:

• Eating undercooked meat, especially minced beef produced as burgers.
• Drinking unpasteurised milk, or milk which has been contaminated after pasteurisation.
• Direct contact with infected animals, especially cattle and deer.
• Water supplies contaminated with faeces; this is more likely to occur with private supplies.
• Eating unwashed, unpeeled vegetables or fruit fertilised with infected manure.
• Indirect contact with infected animals eg via domestic animals such as dogs
• or cats, and via items of clothing contaminated with cattle faeces.
• Contact with the faeces of an infected animal.

The symptoms in humans following infection can vary widely. In some cases there can be no symptoms at all, while in other cases those infected can suffer from diarrhoea. 
However, in others, the infection causes very serious health problems which can even result in death. 

Further information plus guidance on prevention can be found here:
E.coli information and guidance

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