By electron microscopy studies, the E. coli surface antigen designated CS31A was found on bacterial cells and in purified form to consist of thin (2-nm) "fibrillar" fimbriae. coli O157 is found in the gut and faeces of many animals, particularly cattle. About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea.People usually notice symptoms three to four days after they have been infected, but symptoms can start any time between one and 14 days afterwards.A small number of people with E. coli O157 infection go on to develop a serious condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). Some people have been infected by swallowing water while swimming or playing in lakes or ponds, and so the CDC recommends that swallowing water during these activities should be avoided. Some types of E. coli can cause gastrointestinal infections. According to BBC News, 36 cases have so far been reported._ The Times_ report focused on the number of children that the farm may have put at risk, estimating that this number may in the thousands because the farm was allowed to remain open for two weeks after it first "fell under suspicion".

This is particularly important with regards to going to the toilet or handling or preparing food as consumption of contaminated food or water and contact with infected faeces or animals are common sources of infection.The usual hygiene rules apply, including the need to wash and dry hands thoroughly after going to the toilet and after touching animals (for example, at farms).

On the 11 September, the HPA was informed of a further case arising from someone becoming infected on the 4 September. Women are more susceptible to urinary tract infection by E. coli because of the close proximity of the urethra and the anus. The first laboratory case was confirmed on 27 August when Environmental Health Officers learned that an infected individual had visited the farm. This strain is responsible for the outbreak linked to the farm in Surrey.The symptoms depend on the site of infection and which type of E. coli is causing the infection.

coli infections can be serious so preventing infections is important. E. coli 31A, which was cured of a 105-megadalton plasmid, failed to express CS31A fimbriae, but retained the ability to hemagglutinate and to adhere in vitro on intestinal cells. (L'effet protecteur des vaccins est orienté sur les souchesK99 d'E. The risk of HUS is highest in children aged under five years.Some people become infected but don't develop symptoms.There is no specific treatment for E. coli O157 infection. There are a number of different types of E. coli and while the majority are harmless some can cause serious food poisoning and serious infection. The children infected by the E. coli 0157 strain from the Surrey farm are likely to have had the classic symptoms linked to this strain, that include severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea that may be bloody. It is an uncommon cause of gastroenteritis but can be caught by:Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally fever.

It says that the farm is now closed to visitors while the HPA investigates the outbreak.
It is an uncommon cause of gastroenteritis but can be caught by: The bacteria are usually spread through faecal matter reaching the mouth, so good hygiene is critical in preventing contamination and spread. A particular life-threatening complication called haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may develop in 5-10% of people infected with a toxin-producing form of E. coli.

Home Of the 36 children affected, 12 are reported to currently be in hospital with complications from their infection, with three children considered to be seriously ill.Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type of bacteria common in human and animal intestines, and forms part of the normal gut flora (the bacteria that exist in the bowel). The HPA assumed that as the cases seem to have been infected before their advice, their control measures were working. One common strain called E. coli 0157 produces such toxins and is usually responsible for the outbreaks that are covered by the news. The outbreak has been linked to a children’s farm in Surrey and all the infected children are under 10 years old.

Oral rehydration solutions are particularly helpful in children with diarrhoea. Foods should be cooked thoroughly and it is best to avoid unpasteurised dairy products.
Environmental Health Officers and a Health Protection Agency team visited the farm on several occasions to inspect it and to advise on important hygiene messages.Between 4 September and 11 September, the HPA received reports of further infections but all had been contracted prior to 3 September when a team inspected the farm and advised on more stringent hygiene measures and cessation of contact with high-risk animals.