E. Coli O157:H7: Not the Only Bad Apple in the Family?
E. coli O157:H7 produces Shiga toxin, a cause of dysentery, and in some cases hemolytic uremic syndrome followed by kidney failure, particularly in the young. The government and industry have become increasingly vigilant in screening food for the bacterium. But what about all the kissing cousins of this promiscuous bug?
According to a new article in the NYTimes the recent outbreak of illness caused by lettuce wasn't due to E. coli O157 but rather by E. coli O145. In the article the owner of an organic food farm is quoted as saying that E. coli O145 and a handful of other non-E. coli O157 relations are being found more and more often in even organic food. Read all about it: "In E. Coli Fight, Some Strains Are Largely Ignored".
Life evolves to exploit underexploited energy dense environments. To microbes, we're still walking, talking energy dense environments. The long war continues.
