What are the symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection?
E. coli O157:H7 infection often causes severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. However, sometimes the infection causes nonbloody diarrhea or no symptoms at all. Usually there is little or no fever, and the illness goes away in 5-10 days. In some persons, particularly children under 5 years of age and the elderly, the infection can also cause a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney failure. About 2%-7% of E. coli 0157:H7 infections lead to this complication. In the United States, HUS is the principal cause of acute kidney failure in children. What should I do if I think I have an E. coli O157:H7 infection? See your health care provider to discuss your concerns. All persons who suddenly have diarrhea with blood in it should have their stool tested for E. coli O157:H7. How is an E. coli O157:H7 infection diagnosed? E. coli O157:H7 infection is diagnosed by detecting the germ in a stool sample. However, most laboratories do not test for E. coli O157:
