About Escherichia coli Infection | E. coli infection

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class="cdc-page-title-bar__item cdc-page-title-bar__item--date" datetime="2024-05-14 04:00:00"> May 14, 2024 </time> </section> <div class="cdc-page-title cdc-page-offset syndicate"> <h1>About <em>Escherichia coli</em> Infection</h1> </div> <div id="content" class="cdc-page-content cdc-page-offset syndicate container"> <div class="cdc-dfe-body "> <div class="cdc-dfe-body__top "> <div class="dfe-section dfe-section--page-summary summary-list" data-section="cdc_disease_basics_page_summary"> <div class="dfe-section__header"> <h2>Key points</h2> </div> <div class="dfe-section__content"> <ul class="nested-list"> <li class="level-1"><em>E. coli </em>are bacteria found in many places like the intestines of people and animals.<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">Most kinds of <em>E. coli</em> are harmless, but some can make you sick.<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">This site focuses on the kinds of <em>E. coli</em> that cause diarrhea.<ul> </ul> </li> </ul> <div class="dfe-section__nav hide" id="dfe-section__nav"> <div class="dfe-section__nav__header"> <h2>More Information</h2> </div> <div class="dfe-section__nav-links"> <a href="/ecoli/site.html#gen" class="btn btn-outline-blue site-index-link">For Everyone</a> <a href="/ecoli/site.html#hcp" class="btn btn-outline-blue site-index-link">Health Care Providers</a> <a href="/ecoli/site.html#php" class="btn btn-outline-blue site-index-link">Public Health</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="dfe-section__image" id="page-summary-image"> <figure class="dfe-image dfe-image__large"><div class="image-container calculated-ratio-16-9 aspect-ratio-16-9"><img src="/ecoli/media/images/2024/04/ecoli_16.9-ratio.jpg" alt="Medical illustration of E. coli, a rod-shaped bacterium covered in tiny strands called cilia and many long, thin appendages called flagella."></div></figure> </div> <div id="nav-buttons"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cdc-dfe-body__center "> <div class="dfe-section" data-section="cdc_disease_basics_overview"> <a class="onThisPageAnchor" id="cdc_disease_basics_overview-overview" name="Overview" title="Overview"></a><h2>Overview</h2> <p><em>E. coli </em>are germs called bacteria. They are found in many places, including in the environment, foods, water, and the intestines of people and animals. <br></p> <p>Most <em>E. coli </em>are harmless and are part of a healthy intestinal tract. <em>E. coli</em> help us digest food, produce vitamins, and protect us from harmful germs.<br><br>But some <em>E. coli</em> can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis, and other illnesses. This website focuses on the <a href="/ecoli/about/kinds-of-ecoli.html">kinds of <em>E. coli</em></a><em> </em>that cause diarrhea.</p> <h3>People can get infected after swallowing <em>E. coli</em>.</h3> <p>This can happen through contaminated food or water or contact with animals, environments, or other people.</p> <h3>Some people are more likely to get infected.</h3> <p>Groups of people who are at <a href="/ecoli/risk-factors/index.html" class="">increased risk</a> for <em>E. coli </em>infection include:</p> <ul class="nested-list"> <li class="level-1">Children younger than 5<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">Adults 65 and older<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">People with weakened immune systems<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">International travelers<ul> </ul> </li> </ul> <h3><em>E. coli</em> infection can be serious.</h3> <p>Infection with Shiga toxin-producing <em>E. coli </em>(STEC) can lead to a serious health condition called <a href="/ecoli/signs-symptoms/hus.html">hemolytic uremic syndrome</a> (HUS). HUS can lead to kidney failure, permanent health problems, and even death.</p> <h3><em>E. coli </em>infection can be prevented.</h3> <p>The good news is that you can <a href="/ecoli/prevention/index.html">take steps</a> to help keep yourself and your family safe.</p> </div> </div> <div class="cdc-dfe-body__right page-right-rail"> <aside class="page-right-rail__dynamic noindex" role="complementary"> <div data-related-nav></div> </aside> </div> </div> <div data-journey-next></div> <section class="container page-mobile-bar"> <time class="page-mobile-bar__item page-mobile-bar__item--date" datetime="2024-05-14 00:00:00"> May 14, 2024 </time> </section> <div class="page-content-sources noindex"> <div class="page-content-sources__header"> <a data-action="summary" class="collapsed" href="#content-sources" role="button" data-bs-toggle="collapse" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="content-sources" data-cs-toggle="">Sources</a> <a data-action="print" href="#print" class="d-none d-md-block" aria-label="print this page" onclick="window.print()">Print</a> <a data-action="share" href="#share" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-label="share this page" aria-expanded="false">Share</a> <div class="dropdown-menu page-share-bar" data-popper-placement="bottom-start"> <a href="#" class="page-share-facebook"><span class="cdc-icon-facebook"></span></a> <a href="#" class="page-share-linkedin"><span class="cdc-icon-linkedin"></span></a> <a href="#" class="page-share-twitter"><span class="cdc-icon-twitter"></span></a> <a href="#" class="page-share-syndication"><span class="cdc-icon-rss"></span></a> </div> </div> <div class="page-share-container"> <div class="page-share-popup" id="page-share-popup" role="dialog"> <a target="_blank" title="Share to Facebook" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="page-share-facebook metrics-share-facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov"> <span class="sr-only">Facebook</span> <span class="cdc-icon-facebook-inverse"></span> </a> <a target="_blank" title="Share to LinkedIn" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="page-share-linkedin metrics-share-linkedin" href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov&title=Living%20with%20High%20Blood%20Pressure"> <span class="sr-only">LinkedIn</span> <span class="cdc-icon-linkedin-inverse"></span> </a> <a target="_blank" title="Share to Twitter" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="page-share-twitter metrics-share-twitter" href="https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov&text=Living%20with%20High%20Blood%20Pressure"> <span class="sr-only">Twitter</span> <span class="cdc-icon-twitter-inverse"></span> </a> <a target="_blank" title="Embed this Page" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="page-share-syndication metrics-share-syndicate" href="https://tools.cdc.gov/medialibrary/index.aspx#/sharecontent/https://https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/about/index.html"> <span class="sr-only">Syndicate</span> <span class="fi cdc-icon-syndication-round"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div id="content-sources" class="page-content-sources__body accordion-collapse collapse"> <div class="callout callout-content-source" role="status"> <div class="callout-heading">Content Source:</div> <a class="cdc-block-link" href="/ncezid/index.html">National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)</a> </div> </div> </div> <section class="container related-pages related-pages__mobile"> <div data-related-nav-mobile></div> </section> </div> </main> <section class="site-footer container noindex"> <div class="row cdc-footer__inner"> <div class="col-lg-3 site-footer__heading "> <h2> <a href="/ecoli/about/index.html" class="cdc-footer__super-title" aria-label="<em>E. coli</em> Infection (<em>Escherichia coli</em>)"> <span><em>E. coli </em>infection</span> <i class="cdc-icon cdc-fa-light cdc-fa-angle-right"></i> </a> </h2> <p class="cdc-footer__site-desc">Six types of <em>E. coli </em>can cause diarrheal illness in people. 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