E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a type of Bacteria that normally lives in your intestines. It’s also found in the gut of some animals.
Most types of E. coli are harmless and even help keep your digestive tract healthy. But some strains can cause diarrhea if you eat contaminated food or drink fouled water.
While many of us associate E. coli with food poisoning, you can also get pneumonia and urinary tract infections from different types of the bacteria. In fact, 75 to 95% of urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli.
Some versions of E. coli make you sick by making a toxin called Shiga. This toxin damages the lining of your intestine. The strains of E. coli that make the toxin are sometimes called STEC, which is short for “Shiga toxin-producing E. coli ”
One especially bad strain, can make you very sick. It causes abdominal cramps, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. It is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children. It can also cause life-threatening symptoms such as:
Adult kidney failure
Fever
Bleeding
Confusion
Seizures
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