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What is Escherichia coli O157:H7?


There are many strains of E. coli bacteria.  As a result, microbiologists categorize them into more than 170 serogroups and then further break down each serogroup into one or more serotypes. The serogroup is indicated by a number, and the serotype follows and is separated by a colon. The E. coli strain primarily responsible for E. coli-related injury and death is classified as Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli 0157:H7); it belongs to the 0157 serogroup and the H7 serotype. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a rare variety of E. coli that causes severe damage to the lining of the intestine. Specifically, the acute disease caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7 is hemorrhagic colitis.  Escherichia coli O157:H7 can also result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli 0157:H7) was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982 during an outbreak of severe bloody diarrhea; the outbreak was traced to contaminated hamburgers.
While most cases of Escherichia coli O157:H7 food poisoning are a result of contaminated ground beef, other outbreaks have been linked to spinach, lettuce, pepperoni pizza, unpasteurized apple and orange juice and milk, alfalfa sprouts, and even water.  
 
Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli 0157:H7) Lawyers
Pritzker | Ruohonen, one of the leading E. coli litigation law firms in the United States, is currently representing E. coli victims and their families in cases involving restaurants, ground beef, lettuce and spinach.  In two of our current cases, the firm is representing the families of women who died from E. coli-related hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). (See information on CBS affiliate interview of Fred Pritzker on E. coli and the wrongful death of a victim of the E. coli outbreak linked to spinach.) To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.


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