Author: Kayla Otoo
Editors: Junyu Zheng, Elizabeth Li
Artist: Chiara Chen
In very recent years, the world overcame a fatal pandemic—COVID-19. This pandemic had horrendous consequences; however, it has also allowed us to gain a new perspective on effective methods to prevent and treat diseases. Many other viruses before COVID-19 have appeared nationwide, including the fatal Escherichia coli (E coli). Starting in 1982, E. coli was officially recognized as a pathogen after over 600 people who consumed undercooked hamburgers from Jack in the Box became infected, and four died. After this outbreak, numerous changes were made to practices to reduce infection rates. Even so, E. coli persisted.
In 2015, Chipotle and Costco’s rotisserie chicken salad were the major initiators; in 2016, alfalfa/clover sprouts and flour caused havoc, then in 2017, supposed “healthy” SoyNut butter resulted in over 10 hospitalizations due to E. coli. Today, E. coli has become a significantly more pressing issue. In these last months of 2024, in 14 different states, more than a hundred people have been reported as infected. After several interviews with affected patients, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that the likely source of E coli was McDonald's “fresh slivered onions” from Taylor Farms in Signature Quarter Pounder hamburgers. This incident has spread to over 13 states, affecting a wide range of ages: 13 to 88. Since then, several onion products from Taylor farms have been recalled and no longer served in other fast food chains. Although this outbreak has recently been declared over, this does not mark the end of E. coli’s presence, and many more precautions need to be taken to discontinue its reappearance fully.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a gram-negative-shaped bacteria that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of endotherms such as mammals and birds. E coli has harmless strains, including B and K-12, used for laboratory work. However, some strains can cause illness in both healthy and immunocompromised hosts (patients with malignant disease). These five pathotypes include Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), and Diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC). These different strains of E. coli have differing symptoms and can affect various groups of people. For instance, the symptoms for ETEC are milder and usually affect younger adults and international travelers, whereas the symptoms for STEC are more severe and involve children five and under, as well as adults 65 or older. These infections also differ in their geographical location, with some more prone to originate in low-income countries and others in higher-income countries.
Nevertheless, each pathotype of E. coli is equally transmittable. E. coli is transmitted through the fecal-oral route, contaminated water or food consumption, contact between animals or people, or contact with untreated water. Cattle specifically have E. coli bacteria in their intestines, so when slaughtered and processed, the bacteria can make their way onto the meat, which, if not cooked at a specific optimal temperature, can severely harm a person.
E. coli incubation usually lasts 3 to 8 days. Typically, it will rid itself after 10 days, but in young children and the elderly, it may progress into hemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). HUS is a life-threatening disease characterized by many blood disorders, including low RBC counts, kidney disease, and low platelet counts. Four people across the United States developed HUS between September 12, 2024, and October 21, 2024.
The outbreak of E coli and other foodborne diseases continues to be a persistent problem in the United States. Nonetheless, the progress of foodborne diseases has gotten better. In 2009, there was a startling number of 13,800 cases due to foodborne diseases, and as of 2022, it has declined exponentially to 5,600. In an ever-advancing world, there has been extreme progress in tools/testing systems to detect pathogens in fresh foods and produce. Additionally, former president Barack Obama passed “The Food Safety Modernization Act” in 2022, which aimed to reduce contamination in produce-growing areas, but that has only done so much. “We’re just not making the progress we had hoped,” Dr. Jennifer Cope, a medical epidemiologist and chief of centric diseases at the C.D.C. says. Unfortunately, this is a true statement, as the CDC estimates that 48 million people get sick from foodborne illnesses each year, and over 128,000 are hospitalized. However, when people take action by cooking meat until it is heated at 160 F (71 C), drinking pasteurizing milk, and avoiding cross-contamination, the progression of E. coli and other foodborne diseases should end, leaving us with a healthier and safer world.
Citations:
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