HOW TO AVOID THE E. COLI OUTBREAK

The UK has been experiencing a surge in cases of E. coli – also known as Escherichia coli – a bacteria found in the intestines that can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, a fever or stomach cramps.

As of early July this year, 288 cases were confirmed in the UK, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

While the outbreak is expected to decline, there has been a rise in cases this summer, mostly in young adults, and it remains a contagious infection that can lead to serious illness.

Carolina Goncalves, a superintendent pharmacist and health expert at pharmica.co.uk, says, “Warmer temperatures and complacency regarding food safety along with personal hygiene are likely to be the cause of E. coli spreading across the country. Some cases have been linked back to supermarket sandwiches containing lettuce that are thought to have been contaminated with E. coli. People can also catch a strain of E. coli through other contaminated foods, water or contact with infected people or animals.”

One person who suffered greatly from contracting the infection was Amanda Holden’s daughter, Lexi Hughes. The 18-year-old was hospitalised after being diagnosed with VTEC E. coli, “a very harmful strain of bacteria rare in humans”, Amanda revealed in a newspaper interview. The TV star detailed how she hurriedly took her daughter to a tropical disease hospital after being told that Lexi was “in danger of contracting sepsis”, despite being on antibiotics. There, Lexi was immediately put on a drip and remained in hospital for five days.

Lexi contracted the infection in May, before the E. coli outbreak made headlines, meaning the cause of her illness was a mystery. Amanda hopes by raising awareness of her teen’s plight, it will help others who could have been misdiagnosed as showing signs of stress or anxiety.

Here, we look at how we can try our best to avoid catching the infection and ways to treat it…

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