Description Bacteria found in the gut of warm blooded organisms Produce Vitamin K12 Prevent pathogen bacteria from establishing themselves in the intestine

M.O. Most commonly spread through ground beef Spread through contact with infected manure how-e-coli-attacks-the-human-colon/ how-e-coli-attacks-the-human-colon/

Victims They effect everyone but most severely in the young and elderly

Location Most commonly found in Animal guts

Symptoms Severe abdominal pain Watery or bloody diarrhea Kidney failure

Degree of Damage The "degree of damage" caused by any microorganism is determined by what particularly harmful abilities that organism has which are referred to as virulence factors. E. coli that are involved with extraintestinal infections for example have several virulence factors such as a protective capsule and pilli that allows them to stick to surfaces inside and outside the body.

Number of Victims More than 2,400 people have fallen ill, including nearly 700 with acute kidney failure, and at least 23 people have died.

Treatments no current treatments can cure the infection, relieve symptoms or prevent complications. For most people, the best option is to rest and drink plenty of fluids to help with dehydration and fatigue.

The Harmful Mutation E. coli O157:H7, which was first identified in 1982, is a particularly nasty version. It secretes a powerful poison, called a verotoxin, that binds to receptors on human kidney, brain and gut cells and kills them.