Ground beef tied to the outbreak of E. Coli that made sick 109 people out of 6

A mysterious epidemic of E. Shiga toxin-producing coli broke out in the United States, making over one hundred sick in more than one hundred people in six states.
Now, health officials could finally have the answer
.
Preliminary conclusions of the CDC accuse the meat
according to
According to a report recently released by the CDC, the investigation is still ongoing, but preliminary evidence indicates that ground beef is causing the outbreak. Infected patients reported eating ground beef at home or at the restaurant prior to diagnosis.
The CDC will continue its research by searching for the brand, supplier or joint distributor of ground beef badociated with the sick.
Up to now, 109 individual cases of E. coli infection have been confirmed. Of these, 17 were hospitalized for the infection.
Six states are part of the epidemic
, including Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.
More on the recent epidemic of E. coli
People affected by the outbreak were infected with a specific strain called E. coli O103 or STEC, a producer of Shiga toxin. After eating the bacteria, people usually get sick three or four days later.
Symptoms include diarrhea
, stomach cramps and vomiting.
Although the infection usually lasts only five to seven days, people infected with STEC can also develop a potentially fatal disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a type of kidney failure. Most patients recover within a few weeks, but a number of them experience permanent damage or death, as the case may be.
at the CDC.
During the recent outbreak, no cases of haemolytic uremic syndrome were reported.
What to do during the outbreak of E. Coli?
Although the CDC has identified ground beef as a culprit, the agency does not recommend people to avoid eating ground beef. They also do not discourage retailers from serving or selling ground beef.
To ensure the safety of meat, the CDC requires consumers and restaurants to properly cook beef before eating or serving it. Good hygiene and cleanliness of the kitchen are also crucial when handling raw meat.
It is recommended that the internal temperature of cooked ground beef be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked ground beef must also be refrigerated within two hours and consumed within three to four days. On the other hand, raw ground beef should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours of purchase. Chilled meat should also be used in a day or two.
People who think they are infected with E. coli should consult a health care provider as soon as possible. It would also be helpful for people to remember and write down everything they consumed the week before getting sick.