Toxin
The O157:H7 strain is arguably the worse strand of E. coli out
there. This strand produces a Shiga toxin and is know as a STEC.
The shiga toxin is also known as verotoxin. The gene designation
for shiga toxin produced by E. coli O157:H7 is stx1 with the
name Shiga Toxin 1. This toxin has a molecular weight of 68,000
da. It is made up of one molecule of an A subunit which is
responsible for the action of the toxin. Another 5 molecules of
subunit B binds to cell types within the host.
The incubation period for STEC is 3 to 5 days. The symptoms will last around 1 to 3 days. A person who has been infected by typically has watery diarrhea (often times bloody), vomiting, and a low grade fever.
Outbreaks of STEC have been associated with consumption of undercooked beef (mostly ground beef), raw milk, apple juice, contaminated water, red leaf lettuce, alfalfa, sprouts, and jerky. This bacteria can also come from poultry, pork, and lamb.
STEC can be spread from person to person from fecal-oral transmission. This is especially common in child care centers and nursing homes.
Want to learn more about two other common food borne bacteria
that can make you sick? Follow these links:
Salmonella enteritidis
Clostridium botulinum
Now that we have learned more about this bacteria click here for some fun fast facts.