FYI

BAC'sMom wrote: Here are a few websites that might be useful…in light of the resent loss of Crystal’s niece.

http://www.fda.gov/default.htm
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Home/index.asp
http://www.recalls.gov/

C&K*s Mommie replied: Thanks, Jimmie. I will check those sites out.

jacobsmama replied: Bumped...The last link has alot of E.Coli meat cases on it. Thanks!

mom2my2cuties replied: Hey guys. I really don't want to sound insensitive, but you are really almost worrying for nothing. E-Coli is completely preventable, even if your food has been contaminated. And by taking proper precautions, you can save your little ones and yourself a lot of heartbreak and illness

Escherichia coli O157:H7 (or simply E. coli) is just one of the hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli. Most strains of E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. E. coli, however, produces a powerful toxin that can cause a severe infection. (The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the bacterium refers to the specific markers found on its surface and distinguishes it from other types of E. coli.)

An estimated 73,000 cases of E. coli infection occur in the United States each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes E. coli as an emerging food-borne illness.

Spreading -

Most E. coli illness has been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. E. coli bacteria live in the intestines of healthy cattle and, although the number of organisms required to cause disease is not known, it is suspected to be very small. Meat becomes contaminated during slaughter, and organisms can be thoroughly mixed into beef when it is ground. Contaminated beef looks and smells normal. Other ways to transmit E. coli include:

Person-to-person contact in families and in child-care and other institutional-care centers can also be places where the transmission of the bacteria can occur. So if anyone you know contracts this, STAY AWAY!

Bacteria present on a cow's udders, or on equipment, may get into raw milk causing the infection.

Infection may also occur after swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water.

It has been confirmed that unpasteurized juices, such as apple cider, may also cause the infection.

Symptoms

An E. coli infection can make a person very ill. The following are some of the most common symptoms associated with E. coli. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently, and some individuals may have no symptoms at all. Symptoms may include:

severe bloody diarrhea or non-bloody diarrhea

severe abdominal cramps

The symptoms of an E. coli infection may resemble other medical conditions.
Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

How is E. coli diagnosed?

E. coli 0157:H7 can be confirmed with a special stool culture.

What complications are commonly associated with an E. coli infection?

A complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome sometimes occurs, particularly in children under 5 years of age and the elderly. With this syndrome, the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. Approximately 2 to 7 percent of infections lead to this complication, which is life threatening.

About one-third of people with hemolytic uremic syndrome have abnormal kidney function many years later.

According to the CDC, in the United States, hemolytic uremic syndrome is the principal cause of acute kidney failure in children, and most cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome are caused by E. coli.

Treatment -

According to the CDC, most persons recover in five to 10 days without antibiotics or other specific treatment. There is no evidence that antibiotics improve the course of disease, and it is thought that treatment with some antibiotics may precipitate kidney complications. Antidiarrheal agents, such as loperamide (Imodium), should also be avoided, the CDC states.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a life-threatening condition usually treated in an intensive care unit. Blood transfusions and kidney dialysis are often required.

Prevention -

CDC recommendations for prevention of the infection include:

Cook all ground beef or hamburger thoroughly. Make sure that the cooked meat is gray or brown throughout (not pink), any juices run clear, and the inside is hot.

Using a digital instant-read meat thermometer, the temperature of the meat should reach a minimum of 160 degrees F.

If you are served an undercooked hamburger in a restaurant, send it back.

Consume only pasteurized milk and milk products. Avoid raw milk.

Consume only pasteurized juices and ciders.

Make sure that infected persons, especially children, wash their hands carefully and frequently with soap to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

Drink municipal water that has been treated with adequate levels of chlorine, or other effective disinfectants.

Avoid swallowing lake or pool water while swimming.

Wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet.

People with diarrhea should not:


swim in public pools or lakes
bathe with others
prepare food for others

As you can probably tell, I got all this information from the CDC's website (after quite a bit of digging and hunting) And I hope it helps you guys!

Just make sure your food is cooked all the way through and not eaten raw! Hope this helps you guys worry a little less about the food you feed yourselves and your little ones!

mom2my2cuties replied: I wanted to apologize if anyone found my last post insulting. I didn't mean it that way. I typed it as I was running out the door this morning, or rather finishing it up in a word document first before Copy & pasting...

I just wanted to show you guys how you can prevent E-Coli so you don't have to worry so much when you buy food

BAC'sMom replied: Apology accepted

Crystalina replied:
I answered your pm before I saw this. I didn't realize you were talking about this thread. The only problem I have with this is the sentence I quoted. We are not worrying for nothing because my neice has died from this. I was not trying to raise a panic about this but I did want to get the info about where we think it came from. That is all. That is mostly what my oringinal post was about. Our newspaper waited 2 days to put anything in and our news station still has not (although the whole country knows that Apple is recalling a stupid computer battery! ). I was just trying to reach as many people as I could before someone else went to the store and made a burger. Some people like them rare (like me) and I really really appreciate your getting the info about it out there. This is a nasty thing. It also doesn't help when your local hospital doesn't bother to take the appropriate $11 stool sample that is needed to positively diagnose it. Besides that one sentence I appreciate your post. It is so very helpful. You don't have to post again defending anything since you already pmd me. Thanks so much for this. I'm going to print it off.

ashtonsmama replied:
I am so sorry for your loss Crystal. I didn't know.

My prayers and hugs are with you hun...I don't know what to say.

mom2my2cuties replied: I PM'd you?

Like I said, I didn't mean to sound offensive. I am sorry that your neice passed. And I understand how deeply this has affected your family. And the fact that there was contaminated meat flat out ticks me off....And I didn't even know your niece. Your post broke my heart, and I remember as a first time mom that a post like that would have sent me running to the emergency room with my son at the first sign of a stomach ache or diarrhea, demanding they check him completely and throughly.

I do apologize for how that sounded. It was horrible the way I put it. I was half out the door as I posted and going on about 3 minutes of sleep (and that is pushing it.) As I am dealing with a pretty sick toddler myself.

My entire reason for posting this was that I wanted a lot of mom's will start worrying and it could be for no reason in regards to thier own child.

I truly think you guys might want to see about sending a very pointed letter to your hospitals adminstrator about the lack of doing that test btw....Also send it to thier board of directors, chief of staff, and hospital attorney. if they are in fear of even the THOUGHT of a suit of any kind, hospitals change thier practices QUICKLY!

BAC'sMom replied: I by no means was trying to scare ANY PC members when I posted the links about recalls. I work for a recruiting office and our main focus is Food and Beverage manufacturing positions. Therefore it is part of my job to stay on top of quality assurance of company's that we deal with daily. I have found that there are a lot of times when people do not know about certain recalls rather it be car seats, smoke detectors or food. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

mom2my2cuties replied: Not to change the subject on you, but what kind of food manufactures do you work with? We have been looking for someone who does co-packing (you send them the recipe and they make the food under strict controlled conditions) and we can't find a good one.

Crystalina replied:
Oh My! No you did not pm me. When I first read "I pmd you?" I thought, "Didn't she?". So sorry about that. It was another member.

About the letters, there is really no need for that because every S.O.B. that touched her will be sued. Even at the "best" childrens hospital here messed up BIG TIME which is why she died. Autopsy results, gotta love em. It just scares the crap out of me. I have asked DH what we should do if our kids get sick (not E-Coli but in general), these doctors are morons. Sorry but they really are. My sister lifted Olivia up one day to wash her back and found an uncapped syringe under her! WTH? And this was at the #2 childrens hospital in the country. I mean, you have no choice but to hand your child over to these people in hopes that they can make everything better. The test that would have originally diagnosed her only cost $11 here. I guess the popsicle they handed her instead just looked better.