It is a fact that many types bacteria live in our intestines. While most of these are beneficial for the human body, others may cause infections. One of the common types of infection-causing bacteria is the E. coli O157: H7.
Some of the most common early symptoms of e coli infection include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. In many advanced cases, you may also find the presence of e coli in urine that may account for severe UTI problems and other kidney infections. In severe cases, e coli in urine or the intestine may cause problems like dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and even kidney failure. To prevent the infection from developing, it is, important that we identify the leading causes of e coli in urine. E coli bacteria that cause infection can enter the system in many ways. Most of the common causes of e coli infection have been listed below.
Unhygienic food handling
Often, improper preparation, processing, and handling of food make it contaminated and inappropriate to consume. The contamination in food may begin due to unwashed hands, dirty utensils, infected cutting boards, and the like. Often, food that is not stored at the right temperature may also cause food poisoning along with e coli infection. Consuming raw, expired, and unfit food may also increase the risk of developing e coli in the intestine.
Contaminated water
E coli in urine can be caused by poor sanitation and contaminated water. Since poor hygiene causes water to contain bacteria from animal and human waste that increases the risk of developing e coli toxins. The infection can either be caught due to drinking contaminated water or swimming in it.
Person to person contact
Another common cause of e coli in urine stems from poor personal hygiene. E coli is likely to spread from one person to another if the infected person doesn’t wash his hands after a bowel movement. When an infected person with poor sanitation habits comes in contact with another person or with food, e coli infection is likely to spread. For this very reason places like schools, child care centers, and nursing homes are more vulnerable to spreading the infection through human contact.
Other possible reasons
Often, people who are likely to work with animals like goats, sheep, cows, and the like are at a greater risk of contracting the e coli infection. It is, therefore, necessary for people who work with animals to wash their hands compulsorily post work. While it is a fact that contaminated food and drink are the biggest reasons behind the infection, often some people are at a higher risk of contracting e coli than others. The risk of e coli in urine is particularly high in young children and older adults, people with a weak immune system, in hotter months of summer, and due to low stomach acid levels.